DO YOU NEED A PORTABLE WIND TURBINE FOR CAMPING?
Camping can be an exciting and adventurous way to spend time with family and friends while getting back to nature. It lets everyone enjoy and experience the mesmerising beauty of highland mountains and deciduous forests.
While relishing the campfire, one must not forget the significance of electricity, especially at night, to power battery-operated devices. To keep the devices charged, campers must keep a reliable energy source to supply power to their devices. A portable wind turbine or a solar panel can serve as an excellent source of power for
camping.
COMMERCIAL WIND TURBINE & PORTABLE WIND TURBINE
A commercial wind turbine is a large, powerful version of a portable wind turbine. Commercial wind turbines, usually installed for industrial purposes, have rated capacities that go from 660 kW to 2,700 kW. They are typically used in wind farms where several turbines are grouped to provide power to a large area. They can generate enough electricity to power an entire corporate building.
On the contrary, a portable wind turbine is small enough to be carried in a backpack. It can power a few appliances or devices. A portable wind turbine, regardless of its size, can be an extremely powerful source in a glade during camping. Camping becomes more enjoyable when the journey has the least complications, such as easy accessibility to portable devices like a portable wind turbine or a power bank to charge battery-operated electronics or tools.
How Wind Turbine Works
Wind turbines work by converting kinetic energy from the wind into mechanical through turbine rotor blades. When the wind flows across the turbine's blades, it causes the blades to spin. This spinning motion turns a generator that produces electricity. Wind speed is measured by an anemometer and is generally strongest at higher altitudes where there are fewer obstacles to disrupt.
Types of Wind Turbine
There are two widely used wind turbines: the vertical-axis wind turbine (VAWT) and the horizontal-axis wind turbine (HAWT).
Vertical Axis (VAWT)
Vertical-axis wind turbines have blades that rotate parallel to the ground along vertical access. They use drag and lift effects for operation. VAWTs are not as popular as their horizontal counterparts; however, they can receive and process wind from any direction making them more versatile in turbulent or urban areas with inconsistent winds.
Horizontal Axis (HAWT)
Horizontal-axis wind turbines are the most commonly utilised wind energy system. Their rotor's axis of rotation is Horizontal to the ground. HAWT's rotor, gearbox and generator are located at the top of the tower and must be turned to face the wind to capture maximum wind energy to generate an appropriate amount of electricity. The horizontal axis portable wind turbines are better for camping because they have higher efficiency ratings. Moreover, they can be easily carried and placed in the wind's exact direction to generate maximum energy.
Average Wind Speed
The average wind speed depends on several factors, including the time of day and the location. In general, the wind speed is highest in the morning and evening and lowest during the night. The average wind speed to run a portable wind turbine ranges from 5.6 mph to 10 mph.
PORTABLE ENERGY FOR CAMPING
Calculate How Much Electricity You Need for the Camping Trip
Campers need to calculate their power usage during their camping trip in order to ensure they have enough energy for their appliances and other necessary devices. The first step is to calculate how much electricity is required per day. This can be done by estimating the number of hours each device will be utilised and multiplying it by the power consumption in watt-hours (Wh).
Watt-hour refers to the number of watts required for one hour of usage. For example, a 60-watt light bulb will consume 0.06 kilowatts per hour (60 watts / 1,000 = 0.06 kW). Therefore, a camper using a 60-watt light bulb for six hours would need 0.36 kilowatt-hours.
In the case of using larger appliances, campers must keep a portable power station to store energy that can be utilised later at any time of the day. Portable power stations are big batteries that store electricity and can be conveniently charged via portable wind turbines.
Choices of Portable Energy Based on Camping Location
The type of energy source to be utilised during camping depends on the location of the camping site. There are three main locations for camping - in the woods, near a river or lake, and in an open field.
If camping in the woods, a fuel-based portable generator may be the right option to recharge any devices that will be used during the camping trip, as there may not be adequate sunlight or wind in the forest to use solar panels or wind turbines for sustainable power generation.
Encamping by the river means that campers would have easy access to wind; thus, a portable wind turbine would be the ideal solution to power the devices. Near the river or lake, the flow of wind becomes stronger during the evening, so it is recommended to power your devices, or a power station, at this particular time.
Open-field camping offers more options for energy sources, depending on the region and weather. Generally, there is enough sunlight in an open area, so a portable solar panel can be utilised to recharge devices. However, if the weather is gloomy, it may not generate sufficient electricity. Therefore, a portable wind turbine can be a great alternative.
Whether it is a week-long tent camping or backpacking adventure, make sure to study the location and plan ahead for the trip before heading out for camping, so you have appropriate devices and the right source of energy to keep them running. All these factors will have a huge impact on what camping power supply best fits the needs throughout the campers' off-grid journey.
Benefits of Portable Wind Turbine
Eco-friendly Energy Alternative
A portable wind turbine is the perfect, eco-friendly energy source for campers who want to avoid harming the environment with dangerous carbon emissions from oil-based power generators. Enjoying a camping trip with friends or family members is an inalienable human right but caring for the environment is a responsibility that everyone shares.
Renewability
The energy generated by portable wind turbines is completely free and renewable, as it is naturally replenished. The source from which the wind is generated will always be accessible, making a renewable energy source a great investment for campers. This leads to significant cost savings over time compared to fuel-based generators that require frequent refills.
BONUS TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR CAMPING EXPERIENCE WITH A PORTABLE WIND TURBINE
Pairing Portable Wind Turbine with Solar Panels
Portable wind turbines and solar panels have been the cleanest energy sources for many years. Since they have their drawbacks in various regions, pairing them both mitigates the issue of weather conditions. Combining the two renewable, portable energy sources will create an advanced system, generating additional energy for campers to use. Regardless of whether it is a rainy or sunny day, set up the energy sources and let nature take care of everything else.
Charging Your Power Station and Power Banks with a Portable Wind Turbine
A portable wind turbine is a compact yet powerful energy source that generates clean energy from the wind. Even with an average speed of 7 - 9 mph, it can produce enough electricity to charge your portable power station or power bank, providing a steady stream of electricity to keep your devices charged and running.
The charging time of both the portable power station and the power bank may differ, as power banks store lesser power, comparatively, so they tend to charge faster. A power bank is a small battery that you can charge up and utilise later to charge small devices, such as lamps or smartphones. A portable power station is a larger battery that includes a power inverter, which converts the battery's DC power to AC power so that you can run larger appliances; therefore, it takes more time to charge.
Nonetheless, depending on the region of camping, the wind becomes faster in the morning and evening, increasing the efficiency of portable wind turbines, thus generating more energy to supply maximum power to the portable power stations.
PORTABLE WIND TURBINES AS THE PERFECT PORTABLE POWER SOLUTION FOR CAMPING
Portable wind turbines are easy to carry anywhere, compact to store in a backpack and safe to power batteries or other electronic devices, making them essential gear for a camping trip. They can be used to power lamps, mobile phones, power banks and even portable power stations. Portable wind turbines provide a great camping experience from powering various devices for comfortable camping to recharging GPS for smooth hiking.
Thus, a portable wind turbine such as Texenergy’s Infinite Air 5T would be an excellent choice of charging source to be included in the camping gear list. It weighs 1.65kg and stands 79cm tall, fitting perfectly in a backpack.
Moreover, to improve the energy supply for portable power stations, the Infinite Air 5T can be conveniently connected to the Texenergy 5V solar panel, creating an even more powerful charging system via a USB splitter cable. The combination of Texenergy wind turbines and solar panels can help to keep your devices charged for a longer periods of time.