A “How to” Handbook
for Non-Technical Teachers
Illinois Valley Community College
Oglesby, IL 61348
www.ivcc.edu/wind
www.ivcc.edu/nsf
February 2013
Building a Mini Wind Farm:
A “How to” Handbook for Non-Technical Teachers
By
Jim Gibson and Rose Marie Lynch
Illinois Valley Community College
815 North Orlando Smith Road
Oglesby, IL 61348
815-224-2720
www.ivcc.edu/wind
www.ivcc.edu/nsf
February 2013
Supported by National Science Foundation Grant #1003730
ii
To Anyone Considering a Mini Wind Farm Project:
This handbook is designed to provide instructions and resources to enable
teachers, including those without a technical background, to guide students in
building a wind farm. We encourage you to give your students first-hand
experience with a renewable energy project that you can utilize to introduce or
reinforce an unlimited number of concepts, at varying levels of expertise, in most
subject areas.
Jim Gibson
Rose Marie Lynch
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to acknowledge the assistance of Illinois Valley Community
College and the National Science Foundation. The material in this handbook is
based upon work supported by the N.S.F. under grant #1003730 (“Preparing a
New Workforce for a Sustainable Economy”) and the development of programs
for wind energy technicians at IVCC. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or
recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not
necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
NSF Grant Principal Investigator: Jim Gibson, Program Coordinator of
Electronics jim_gibson@ivcc.edu
NSF Grant Co-PIs:
Sue Isermann, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs
sue_isermann@ivcc.edu
Jamie Gahm, Director of Business Training Center
jamie_gahm@ivcc.edu
Rose Marie Lynch, Communications Instructor
rosemarie_lynch@ivcc.edu
The authors also wish to acknowledge the assistance of Joe Tillman, Renewable
Energy Instructor and Coordinator at Lake Land College, Mattoon, IL, for
providing valuable suggestions on this handbook.
The cover image is from the Image Gallery offered for free download, display,
use and copy from the National Renewal Energy Lab (NREL), U.S. Department
of Energy, at http://images.nrel.gov. Additional images from the NREL in this
handbook are identified.
iii
Table of Contents
Planning a Mini Wind Farm Project ................................................................................... 1
A Note About Safety................................................................................................... 2
Basics of Wind Turbine Design ...................................................................................... 3
Fun Facts ..................................................................................................................... 4
Materials Needed ................................................................................................................ 5
Tower Parts ..................................................................................................................... 5
Other Materials and Supplies for the Farm ..................................................................... 6
Instructions .......................................................................................................................... 8
Basics of Electricity for Building a Wind Farm ............................................................. 8
Source ......................................................................................................................... 8
Conductor.................................................................................................................... 9
Control ...................................................................................................................... 10
Load .......................................................................................................................... 11
Instructions for Assembling a Mini Wind Turbine ....................................................... 12
Instructions for Building a Mini Wind Farm ................................................................ 16
Assembling and Wiring the Load and Control ......................................................... 16
Connecting a Turbine ................................................................................................ 18
Connecting Substation to Load ................................................................................. 20
Connecting Turbine and Load Through Substation .................................................. 20
Testing the Circuit..................................................................................................... 21
Adding a Load........................................................................................................... 21
Adding Another Turbine ........................................................................................... 23
Testing the Circuit..................................................................................................... 25
Costs.................................................................................................................................. 26
Sources for Parts and Materials ................................................................................ 26
Additional Resources ........................................................................................................ 27
iv
List of Figures
Figure 1: Basic Components of a Wind Turbine ............................................................... 3
Figure 2: Tower Under Construction ................................................................................. 3
Figure 2: Technicians on Top of a Nacelle ........................................................................ 4
Figure 3: Turbine Generator .............................................................................................. 4
Figure 4: Components for a Mini Wind Turbine. .............................................................. 5
Figure 5: Terminal Strip...................................................................................................... 6
Figure 6: One-sixth of Terminal Strip ............................................................................... 6
Figure 7: LED .................................................................................................................... 7
Figure 8: Resistor Connected to LED ................................................................................ 7
Figure 9: Source in a Wind Turbine. ................................................................................. 8
Figure 10: Source in Classroom-size Mini Turbine ........................................................... 8
Figure 11: Conductor for a Wind Turbine ......................................................................... 9
.
9
Figure 12: Conductor for a Classroom-size Mini Turbine................................................. 9
Figure 13: Control for a Wind Turbine. .......................................................................... 10
Figure 14: Control for a Classroom-size Mini Turbine ................................................... 10
Figure 15: Load for a Wind Turbine ................................................................................ 11
Figure 16: Load for Classroom-size Mini Turbine .......................................................... 11
Figure 17: Tower Assembly............................................................................................. 12
Figure 18: Blade Attached to Source ............................................................................... 13
Figure 19: Electrical Tape on Motor Housing ................................................................. 13
Figure 20: Motor Inserted in Elbow................................................................................. 14
Figure 21: Blade and Motor Attached to Tower .............................................................. 14
Figure 22: Motor Wiring Threaded Through Turbine Tower .......................................... 14
Figure 23: Mini Turbine Side View ................................................................................. 15
Figure 24: Materials for Assembling and Wiring the Load and Control ......................... 16
Figure 25: Attaching Control to Wood Block.................................................................. 16
Figure 26: Load (LED) Wired to Control ........................................................................ 17
Figure 27: Top of LED Illustrating Flat Side................................................................... 17
Figure 28: LED with Flat Side on Right .......................................................................... 17
Figure 29: Load, Control, and Conductors Assembled.................................................... 17
Figure 30: Two Controls .................................................................................................. 18
Figure 31: Attaching Connecting Wires to Substation .................................................... 18
Figure 32: Wires from Bottom of Turbine ....................................................................... 19
Figure 33: Turbine Wiring Attached to Substation.......................................................... 19
Figure 34: Load Attached to Substation .......................................................................... 20
Figure 35: Substation Wires Twisted Together ............................................................... 21
Figure 36: Wire Nut Twisted Onto White Wires ............................................................. 21
Figure 37: First Load Connected to Second Load ........................................................... 22
Figure 38: Series of Loads Wired in Parallel ................................................................... 23
Figure 39: Connectors Added to Substation .................................................................... 24
Figure 40: Connectors from First Substation to Second ................................................. 24
Figure 41: Substation Wires Twisted Together ............................................................... 25
Figure 42: Wire Nut Twisted Onto White Wires ............................................................. 25
v
vi
Planning a Mini Wind Farm Project
Building a wind farm can be the impetus to generate interest in and increase knowledge
about global environmental issues, to introduce or reinforce concepts in diverse subject
areas, and to practice and sharpen technical skills. A wind farm project is easily
adaptable to many classroom settings, since farms can be constructed by students of
varying ages and varying levels of expertise, guided by teachers with limited technical
backgrounds, and utilizing readily available and relatively inexpensive materials
STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) concepts and anything related to
sustainability and innovation can be integrated into a mini wind farm projects. A wind
farm, however, can be a part of a larger project, which can focus on a wide variety of
subjects, for example:
In business: The costs of wind energy
In history or current affairs: Results of a “brown out” in a region
In science: Using hand held test equipment
In math: The relationship between force, magnetic field strength, and induced
voltage
In agriculture: The impact of wind energy on agriculture
In government: The role of the state, or the Federal government, in encouraging
wind energy
In industrial technology: Building the tower and siting the turbine
In electricity: Wiring and the importance of color coding. Electrical safety.
Components of a circuit.
In communication: Writing instructions for assembling a wind farm or delivering
a persuasive pitch for wind energy
In environmental studies: The impact of wind energy on endangered/threatened
species
In design/engineering: Effectiveness of varying blade designs
The list above merely suggests the breadth of possibilities
For younger students and those who have had little experience building things or using
hand tools, constructing a farm requires the assembly of components for a wind
tower/turbine and use of wire strippers and screwdrivers to wire the farm.
For students of all ages and levels of expertise, this activity can be the impetus for career
exploration, especially since expansion of renewable energy is creating new career needs
and fields. Additionally, a mini wind farm project does benefit from and can build on
media attention to renewable energy as well as the curiosity and interest generated by
increasingly common and visible “green” structures such as wind turbines.
1
The following sections in this handbook provide detailed instructions for building a mini
wind farm, including:
1. Understanding the basics of electricity, a circuit,
2. Constructing a circuit, including a mini turbine,
3. Assembling the system (making wire connections),
4. Testing (turning on wind source to activate mini turbine),
5. Adding additional load (emulating more houses connected to the grid),
6. Adding additional sources (connecting more turbines),
7. Testing again (turning on wind source to activate turbines).
Materials needed, costs and sources for materials, and additional resources are also
included.
A Note About Safety
A wind farm project is excellent for teaching or reinforcing electrical safety lessons. All
connections should be made off line, when there is no possibility of power going through
the line. For example, the instructions below indicate that the LED be attached to the
control before wires are attached, and the loads are attached to the wind turbine when it is
off. However, the small DC motors used as the source in this activity do not produce a
dangerous level of power, no more dangerous than a flashlight.
Source: NREL
2
Basics of Wind Turbine Design
Wind turbines generate electricity by catching the energy of the wind with blades, the
opposite of what a fan does. The basic components of a wind turbine are illustrated
below.
Photo Source: NREL
Figure 1: Basic Components of a Wind Turbine
The size of common commercial or large-scale wind turbines is illustrated in the photo
below of a portion of a tower being assembled.
Source: NREL
Figure 2: Tower Under Construction
3
Sitting atop the tower, the nacelle houses the electrical
and mechanical parts including such equipment as the
generator and gearbox. In a commercial or large-scale
turbine, the nacelle is the size of a railroad car. Some
nacelles have landing pads for helicopters on top.
Figure 2: Technicians on Top of a Nacelle
Source: NREL
The generator, at left, which will be
installed in a wind turbine nacelle further
illustrates the size of a large-scale turbine.
Source: NREL
Figure 3: Turbine Generator
Fun Facts
Many towers for commercial or large-scale turbines are over 300 feet tall, which is
the length of a football field.
Blades on large-scale turbines are typically 125 to 150 feet long.
Blades on large-scale turbines appear to spin slowly, but the outside tip of the blades
is traveling at 150 to 200 miles per hour.
A wind farm requires one wind energy technician to maintain every 10 to 15 turbines.
Wind energy is a form of solar energy. Wind is produced as a result of the sun
heating the earth unevenly. Hot air rises and cold air rushes in to fill the void.
4
Materials Needed
Building a wind farm requires a minimum of two mini wind turbines, so multiply the
parts and supplies for the tower, the fan blade (propeller), and the motor listed below by
two.
Tower Parts
A wind turbine tower is constructed from 1” PVC pipe and fittings, listed and illustrated
below.
Pipe:
(1) 24” section
(6) 6” sections
Fittings
(3) tees – one with a hole drilled in it, large enough for electric wiring
to be threaded through it
(5) 90-degree elbows
Figure 4: Components for a Mini Wind Turbine.
5
Other parts and supplies required are:
(1) propeller (bottom left in Figure 4), 4 ½” with 3 blades and 2 mm. hole
(1) DC permanent magnet motor (bottom center in Figure 4, with red and black
wire attached).
Electrical tape
Other Materials and Supplies for the Farm
1” by 4” by 6” wood blocks - 1 for each team of students plus 2 for each turbine. For
eight teams and two turbines, a total of 12 wood blocks
Wire: 20 or 22 gauge stranded, one roll
of white and one roll of black. One
piece of white and one of black for each
team plus an additional piece of white
and black for an added turbine, cut in
three foot lengths. And one piece of
white and one piece of black for each
turbine (probably two turbines) cut in
three inch lengths.
Figure 5: Terminal Strip
Terminal strips, also called terminal
blocks, (Figures 5 and 6), for 20 gauge
wire. The 12 section Euro Style Barrier
Strip, in Figure 5, is economical since it
can be cut into six sections, illustrated
in Figure 6. Use diagonal cutters, a
hack saw, knife or razor blade to cut the
strips.
Figure 6: One-sixth of Terminal Strip
Wood screws, #4 by ¾”
6
LEDs (light emitting diodes), 6 mm.
red or green – one for each team. Use
LEDs that are the same color so the
load is the same for each.*
Wire nuts, 20 or 22 gauge (matching
wire size) two for each turbine.
Screw drivers, both flat head and
Phillips.
Figure 7: LED
Wire strippers
Diagonal cutters, a hack saw, knife or razor (to cut terminal strips).
A high velocity floor fan or carpet fan (provides wind to activate turbine).
Inexpensive box fans do not perform well with certain mini turbine blades.
*TECHNICAL NOTE: Even if the LEDs are the same color ,if they aren’t from the
same production lot, the load may not be exactly the same. If the already wired in LEDs
dim when a new LED is added to the system but the new one is bright,, the LEDs are
probably not from the same lot; therefore, not exactly the same load To keep all of the
LEDs at the same light level, it may be necessary to add resistors. Suggested resistors are
¼ watt, 200 to 680 ohms, and use the same size on all LEDs. However, LEDs with different
loads do not affect the overall outcome of this project .
Figure 8: Resistor Connected
to LED
See section on Costs, which also suggests sources for these materials.
7
Instructions
Basics of Electricity for Building a Wind Farm
Building a mini wind farm requires an understanding of very basic electricity -- the
components of a circuit:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Source
Conductor
Control
Load
Source
In a wind turbine, the source is a large motor or generator located behind and connected
to the turbine blades. The source, and other mechanical and electrical equipment, is
housed in a structure called a nacelle, which is approximately the size of a railroad car in
large-scale turbines.
Figure 9: Source in a Wind Turbine.
In a classroom-size mini turbine, the source is a DC
permanent magnet motor, approximately one inch in
diameter, pictured at left with wiring attached.
Figure 10: Source in Classroom-size Mini Turbine
8
Conductor
For a wind turbine, the conductor is the transmissions wires illustrated below.
Figure 11: Conductor for a Wind
Turbine
Source: NREL
For a classroom-size mini turbine, the conductor
is color-coded, small gauge wiring, pictured at
right.
.
Figure 12: Conductor for
a Classroom-size Mini
Turbine
9
Control
For a wind turbine, the control (substation
or power bus) is illustrated at the right.
Figure 13: Control for a Wind
Turbine.
Source: NREL
For a classroom-size mini turbine, the control (substation or power bus) is a portion of a
terminal strip (approximately 1” by 1 ½”).
Figure 14: Control for a Classroom-size Mini Turbine
10
Load
For a wind turbine, the load includes the houses, industries, businesses, all entities that
draw on power.
Source: NREL
Figure 15: Load for a Wind Turbine
For a classroom-size mini turbine, the load is one or more LEDs (light emitting diodes),
illustrated below.
Figure 16: Load for Classroom-size Mini Turbine
11
Instructions for Assembling a Mini Wind Turbine
To build a mini wind turbine, begin by assembling the tower from the PVC pipe and
fittings identified below.
Figure 17: Tower Assembly
As the figure above illustrates, the 6” pipe, four of the elbows, and the tees form the base
for the tower, which is the 24” pipe.
12
Next, snap the back of the blade onto the source (DC motor) as illustrated below.
Figure 18: Blade Attached to Source
Wrap electrical tape around the housing of the motor, as illustrated below. The tape is to
ensure a snug fit of the motor into the elbow, which mounts the motor and blade on the
tower.
Figure 19: Electrical Tape on Motor Housing
13
Thread the wiring attached to the motor through an elbow and insert the motor housing
into the elbow, as illustrated below. If the motor does not fit securely into the elbow,
wrap additional electrical tape around the motor housing.
Figure 20: Motor Inserted in Elbow
Thread the motor wiring into the 24” tower pipe and attach the elbow, as illustrated at the
left below. Thread the motor wiring, which is now in the tower pipe, through the hole in
the bottom of the tee, which attaches the tower to the base, as illustrated at the right
below. Removing the tower pipe from the tee will simplify this process.
Figure 21: Blade and Motor
Attached to Tower
Figure 22: Motor Wiring Threaded Through
Turbine Tower
14
The mini turbine is now assembled.
Figure 23: Mini Turbine Side View
15
Instructions for Building a Mini Wind Farm
Assembling and Wiring the Load and Control
After constructing a mini turbine, the next step is to assemble and wire the load (LED
representing a house) and control (terminal strip), using half of a terminal strip, an LED,
a wood screw, wood block, and a length of black wire and white wire as illustrated
below.
Figure 24: Materials for Assembling and Wiring the Load and Control
1. Strip both ends of a white wire and a black wire.
2. Using the wood screw, attach control (terminal strip) to wood block, locating
the terminal approximately 1 inch from top of the wood block.
Figure 25: Attaching Control to Wood
Block
16
3. With control at top, wire the LED to the bottom of the control by inserting the
LED wires into the slots in the control and tightening the screws.
The flat side of the LED is
wired on the right of the
control (See Figures 26
through 28). The flat side,
on right, is the cathode side
(shorter wire); the other
side is the anode (longer
wire).
Figure 26: Load (LED)
Wired to Control
Figure 27: Top of LED
Illustrating Flat Side
4. Wire the conductors (a white and a black wire)
to the top of the control by inserting the wires
into the slots and tightening the screws. Wire the
white wire to the right (the cathode or flat side of
the LED) and the black wire to the left (the
anode side). Wiring white to right and black to
left makes it easier to keep track of polarity,
which is commonly illustrated in the positive (+)
and negative (-) ends on a battery; a battery has
to be inserted correctly in order to work. White
will be the common or negative wire and black
the power or positive wire.
Figure 29: Load, Control, and Conductors
Assembled
17
Figure 28: LED
with Flat Side on
Right
NOTE: See page7, Figure 8, if a resistor is needed.
The load and control are now wired.
Connecting a Turbine
The first step in connecting a turbine to the system is to assemble a substation or power
bus using a wood block, two pieces of terminal strips, two wood screws, and two threeinch pieces of black wire and two three-inch pieces of white wire. A substation is
basically a separate connection between a turbine (source) and load (LEDs) or between
one turbine and another. Using a substation makes it easier to connect and disconnect a
turbine from the system, and also makes it easier to demonstrate the impact of adding
extra turbines.
1. Create a substation or power bus:
Attach two controls (pieces of terminal strip) on a wood block, mounting one near
each end as illustrated below.
Figure 30: Two Controls
.
Attach 3 inch pieces of black and white wire to the inside slots of the controls as
illustrated below, keeping both pieces of black on one side and both pieces of
white on the other side.
Figure 31: Attaching
Connecting Wires to
Substation
18
The two black wires and two white wires between the controls will be connected
later, using wire nuts.
2. Strip the end of the black and red wires coming from the bottom of the mini wind
turbine.
Figure 32: Wires from Bottom of Turbine
3. Attach the red and black wires from the turbine to the substation. To make it
easier to keep track of polarity, before attaching the wires, rotate the substation so
the black wires are on the left and white wires on the right. Insert the red wire
from the turbine on the right so it will be attached to the white wire on the
substation, and insert the black wire from the turbine on the left so it will be
attached to the black substation wire, as illustrated below. The red is the common
or negative wire and black is the power or positive wire.
Figure 33: Turbine Wiring Attached to Substation
19
Connecting Substation to Load
The next step is to connect the substation to the load (LED).
Attach the black and white wires from the
load into slots on one of the substation
controls and illustrated to the left.
Attach the black load wire to the black wire
on the substation control and the white load
wire to the white substation control wire.
Figure 34: Load Attached to
Substation
Connecting Turbine and Load Through Substation
The final step in completing the circuit is to connect the turbine and load through the
substation, by connecting the short white and black wires on the substation.
1. Place the ends of the two white wires together and twist a wire nut on the ends of
those wires, as illustrated in Figures 35 and 36.
20
Figure 35: Substation Wires
Twisted Together
Figure 36: Wire Nut Twisted Onto
White Wires
2. Place the ends of the two black wires together and twist a wire nut tightly onto the
ends of those wires.
The circuit is now complete and ready for testing.
Testing the Circuit
1. Place the fan (wind source) in front of the mini turbine and turn it on.
2. If the LED lights up, the circuit has been correctly completed; the turbine is providing
electricity to the “house.”
Adding a Load
To simulate a more realistic scenario, connect additional LEDs (load) to simulate
additional houses.
1. Turn the power off by shutting off the fan and waiting for the turbine blade to quit
rotating.
2. Connect the conductors from one load to a second load.
Loosen the screws holding the conductors (wires) in the control of the first
load.
Insert the loose end of the black wire from the second load into the same slot
as the black wire on the first load and tighten the screw, connecting the two
black wires.
21
Insert the loose end of the white wire from the second load into the same slot
as the white wire on the first load and tighten the screw, connecting the two
white wires.
Figure 37: First Load Connected to
Second Load
The two loads (emulating two houses) are now wired in parallel. Both LEDs should light
when the fan is turned on and the turbine blade begins turning.
3. Continue connecting conductors from additional loads the same way. Connect a
third load to the second load, a fourth load to the third, and so forth. The entire
series of loads should be connected as illustrated below.
22
Figure 38: Series of Loads Wired in Parallel
4. Test the connections several times as the loads are being wired together, by
turning on the fan to activate the turbine. Be careful to turn the fan off and allow
the turbine to stop before continuing with the wiring. The testing is partly to
ensure that the connections are working (the LEDs are lighting), but also to check
the strength of the signal. As the load increases, the LEDs will begin to dim and
may even flicker.
The next step in creating a wind farm, adding another turbine, is designed to boost
the signal, brightening the LEDs.
Adding Another Turbine
To build a wind farm, add another turbine or source
23
1. Create a substation for the second turbine, following instructions above for creating
the first substation.
2. Connect the wiring of the second turbine to the substation, following instructions
above for connecting the first turbine to the substation.
3. Connect the substation of the first turbine to the substation of the second.
On the substation of the first turbine, loosen the screws holding the black and
white wires connected to the load.
Add a 3-foot white wire and a 3-foot black wire to those slots the control,
keeping the white wires together and the black wires together and tighten the
screws on the two white wires and on the two black wires.
Figure 39: Connectors Added to
Substation
Connect the loose ends of those 3-foot
wires to the open slots on the control of
the substation of the second turbine, as
illustrated at the right.
Figure 40: Connectors from First
Substation to Second
24
4. The final step is to complete the circuit to the second turbine by connecting the short
white and black wires on the substation for the second turbine, using the same method
as for the first turbine substation.
Place the ends of the two white wires together and twist a wire nut on the ends of
those wires, as illustrated in Figures 41 and 42.
Figure 41: Substation Wires
Twisted Together
Figure 42: Wire Nut Twisted Onto
White Wires
Place the ends of the two black wires together and twist a wire nut tightly onto the
ends of those wires.
The circuit is now complete and ready for testing.
Testing the Circuit
Arrange both turbines in front of the fan and turn it on to test the system. If the system is
properly wired, the LEDs should light and be brighter with two turbines operating.
You have successfully built and tested a wind farm.
25
Costs
To build a wind farm with eight teams and two turbines, the total cost is approximately
$48, as detailed below.
Two turbines approximately $25
One turbine tower $5
1” PVC pipe – 5’ needed
3 tees
5 elbows
$1.00 (20 cents a foot)
$1.50 (50 cents each)
$2.50 (50 cents each)
Other parts for one turbine $7.50
DC motor
Propeller
$5.00
$2.50
Total for other supplies and parts approximately $23
1” X 4” wood
Wire
Terminal strips
LEDs
Wire nuts
Wood screws
Electrical tape
$3.00 (need 12 6” pieces or 6’ for 8 teams)
$10.00 for 100 feet – need one black and
one white at $5 each
$4.00 (need two 12-section units at $2
each)
$2.00 (25 cents per unit - for 8 teams)
$1.50
$1.50
$1.00
Sources for Parts and Materials
Electronic stores
Lumber yards
Hardware stores
Online
The DC motor with wiring attached can be ordered from KidWind (a
Wind Turbine Generator, SKU H0002) at http://learn.kidwind.org
The propeller can be ordered from Kelvin Educational (Product # 851107)
at http://www.kelvin.com
26
Additional Resources
Illinois Valley Community College, Wind Energy Program Web Site
Information on IVCC’s Wind Energy Technician Certificate programs and
videos demonstrating the work of wind energy technicians
http://www.ivcc.edu/wind
Illinois Valley Community College, National Science Foundation Grant Web
Site
Information on wind energy careers, IVCC’s Wind Energy Technician
Certificates, and NSF grant activities for the wind energy programs.
http://www.ivcc.edu/nsf
American Wind Energy Association
http://www.awea.org
Wind energy curriculum for K-12
http://www.awea.org/learnabout/education/Wind_Energy_Curriculum_for
_K-12.cfm
Engineering, Go For It
http://www.egfi-k12.org
Wind Power Lesson
http://www.egfi-k12.org/lesson-wind-power
James Madison University, Alternative Energy Educational Resources
http://aeer.cisat.jmu.edu/activities.html
Kelvin Educational
http://kelvin.com
KidWind Project
Wind turbine kits
http://learn.kidwind.org
WindWise Education
http://learn.kidwind.org/windwise
Minnesota Energy Careers, Educators Resources in Energy
http://www.iseek.org/industry/energy/education/curriculum.html
National Energy Education Development Project
http://www.need.org
27
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
K-12 curriculum and photos for use free of charge
www.nrel.gov
National Science Foundation
http://www.nsf.gov
ScienceEducation.gov, Supporting Science, Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics Education for America
http://www.scienceeducation.gov
U.S. Department of Energy – Energy Education & Workforce Development.
K-12 lesson plans and activities
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/education/lessonplans
Instructions for building wind turbines from PVC pipe created by Kid
Wind for the U.S. Department of Energy, available free of charge.
www1.eere.energy.gov/education/pdfs/wind_basicpvcwindturbine.pdf
Wind Powering America, U.S. DOE
http://www.windpoweringamerica.gov
Curriculum
http://www.windpoweringamerica.gov/schools_teaching_materials.asp
28