Wind Energy Basics: A Guide to Home and Community-Scale Wind-Energy Systems, 2nd Edition

Fantastic and easy-to-read explanation of what can be done NOW to make our cities and countries free from fossil fuels. As the title reveals, this is a Basic introduction without too many technical details of how a homeowner or small business / estate can go about 'getting off the grid', with many examples of who has done it, how they do it, and how they profit from it. Knowledge is power, so empower yourself by reading this and spreading the power of wind !

Paul has well captured the basics of wind power in an easy and understandable way. The book is a delight to read. What I didn't expect and have not read before is Paul's excellent commentary on wind power public policy. Europeans tend to build community based wind whereas Americans build corporate based wind. This means that in Europe, individuals tend to benefit financially from wind whereas as in the America, corporations tend to benefit. Very interesting stuff here. Also, public policy is very different as well, with feed-in tariffs being popular in Europe and the USA tending to supply money up front to build projects (a big mistake). Additionally, anyone considering vertical axis wind mills or ducted fan based windmills might want to read what Paul has to say first. John C. Briggs

An interesting book, just not what I expected. Thought it would give me information about how to select a wind turbine and it is all about telling you to invest in a commercial size unit rather than a household size unit. Not much information about starting an LLC or raising millions either.

Paul Gipe is not only a leading authority on wind energy but he is an exceptional teacher. This second edition of Wind Energy Basics covers most of the current models of wind turbines on the consumer and commercial market as of 2009. The book is an excellent introduction to wind energy that will serve both potential wind turbine buyers and those interested in wind energy well. There is some math involved but nothing over basic high school algebra and it is kept to a minimum. This is a great, inexpensive way to learn about wind turbines. If you are more interested in design and want more in depth analysis, Paul's other book, "Wind Energy", is an excellent choice.

The availability of clean, renewable energy is the world's modern challenge and wind-energy expert Paul Gipe predicts wind will lead the way. His second revised, expanded edition of a classic primer offers homeowners and consumers insights on wind energy, from applications to political and social policies, and includes a new section on the concept of 'community wind'. Charts and color photos pepper a user-friendly introduction to all aspects of wind energy, making it the perfect pick for any lending library.