Wind generators or wind turbines are a renewable energy source that does not require fossil fuels
or produce any emissions. Financial benefits of wind generators can be realized through decreased utility costs, specifically electricity. Zero emission output not only helps us to achieve our goal of operating sustainable installations but also supports mission objectives. As greenhouse gas restrictions become more stringent we will undoubtedly need methods to reduce each Air Force installation’s carbon footprint in an effort to allow mission related activities (i.e. aircraft flight) to continue unimpeded.

Wind generators produce electricity by capturing the kinetic energy of wind. The kinetic energy is first converted into mechanical energy and then into electricity. These devices, in simplest form, consist of three basic components:

• a rotor to capture the kinetic energy from the wind and convert it into mechanical energy
• an electric generator to convert mechanical energy into electricity
• a structure to support the rotor.

Horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWT) are the most common type of wind generator currently being utilized. This type of wind turbine gets its designation due to the horizontal axis on which the rotor turns. The rotor and electric generator for these types of wind turbines are placed on a structure high off of the ground for clearance, safety and to capture the most amount of wind as possible. The rotor blades should be pointing into the wind.

In a vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) the main rotor shaft is arranged vertically. The main advantage to this design would be that the turbine does not need to be pointed into the wind and therefore can be more effective in locations with highly varying winds.

Figure 2. Simple VAWT design

Figure 1. A wind turbine generator,
towering more than 110 feet
and with blades each 44 feet long
at the Tin City Long-Range Radar Station near Tin City, Alaska.

Wind generators may be implemented anywhere across the world with alterations made for specific site requirements. The scale and expense of the wind generator will depend on the power requirement.

Figure 3. Roof top wind farm

Figure 4. Wind power map of Continental United States

Wind generators are a potential method to achieve the intent of LEED EA Credit 2. Refer to the LEED Guidance section for specific requirements.