The Rural Voice, 2002-02, Page 19Ingenuity helps harness the wind
By Mark Nonkes
Nestled in a valley among the hills near Goderich, a
55 -foot tall home-made wind turbine is the highest
structure on Bob Budd's property. Budd lives
with ponds and marsh as his backyard and three brown
horses fenced into his front yard, and relies totally on
renewable energy. On the roof of his house, which looks
like the rustic wooden cabins found in story books, are
solar panels and a water solar heating system which are
combined with the wind
turbine to generate
electricity for the entire
property.
When 43 -year-old
Bob Budd, a soft
spoken and gentle man,
decided to build the
only house on
Kitchigami Camp Road
outside of Goderich 12
years ago, he was faced
with the prospect of a
$8,000 fee to run
electricity lines into his
property. Deciding the
fees were too much, he
created his own source
of electricity by
installing solar panels
on the roof of his newly
constructed house.
Though the solar
panels provided an
adequate supply of
electricity and created
hot water for the house
during the summer months, in the darker months of the
year from October to January, sunlight was scarce and so
was electricity. While often toying with the idea of
getting a wind turbine to power the farm along with solar
panels, Budd said the price of turbines always scared him
off.
It wasn't until six years ago when Budd and his wife
Beverly traveled to Great Britain that he found a more
economical source of harnessing the wind for power.
The Budds came across a Scottish town where a man
built wind turbines that provided an entire town with
electricity. Budd learned how to create powerful
homemade wind turbines using an electrical motor, parts
from a Ford truck, magnets and copper windings. He
took what he learned home and began creating his own
wind turbine.
"If you're pretty creative you can use resources on
hand," Budd said, showing the spindle and brake drum for
the turbine, from a three-quarter ton Ford truck inhis
shed. He also hand -carved the three blades for the turbine
from basswood.
The first turbine was hoisted into the air on well
drilling pipe Budd had around home and the pole was
secured with cable. Down the tower are three wires
which transport the power generated from the spinning
blades into batteries located underneath the porch of his
house which store the power until it is used.
The higher above ground, the more power the turbine
generates, Budd said. A suggested minimum height is 60
feet. Also, being less than seven kilometers from the
Lake Huron allows him to catch the winds coming off the
water.
Seeing that his
windmill was a success
A in generating power for
his homestead, he set
out marketing the
`'"'` homemade windmills
over the internes. More
than 300,000 people
have looked at his web
site www.windmill.
on.ca. In 2001, he
constructed three
windmills for
Mennonite families
using similar
technology to his own
turbine. The families
were already on a
battery system but
using diesel fuel to
generate power. Other
people who call about
the turbines want to
save money from hydro
bills, but Budd tries to
Bob Budd holds a windmill blade he fashioned himself for his
homemade wind -powered turbine. He has helped others create
their own electrical generating facilities too.
steer them away from wind power. At this time in
Ontario, with hydro prices low, it only makes economical
sense to get a turbine if already on a battery system, (like
the Mennonites) or you're in a remote location, Budd
said. His turbines sell for around $5,000 but that does not
include batteries or maintenance.
This spring, Budd's turbine flew off the pole in high
winds. Blades shattered and needed to be replaced. The
constant gusty winds that often change speed and
direction, take a toll on the turbines.
"We tens} -to get really trashy winds that are hard on
windmills," Budd said.
However, the winds would not win the battle. Since
Budd built the turbine, he knew how to fix it. He once
again raised the turbine into the sky, to capture the winds
for power.
Aside from building windmills, Budd makes money
from racing horses, fitting horses with shoes and teaching
courses and holding workshops on renewable energy.
The• key for capturing renewable energy and turning it
into electricity is simple. "You have to like fooling around
with things," Budd slid with a smile.0
FEBRUARY 2002 15