Wind turbines are awesome because they are easy to construct and look great. Whether it is for a science project, making wind calculations, or simply wanting one for your home, there are so many types that you can make or create.
We’ve combined some of the best DIY wind turbine ideas we could find so that you can try them as a solo project or a project with your family and friends. With so many options, you might find yourself wanting to make more than just one!
1. DIY Wind Turbine
This DIY windmill is constructed out of PVC pipe, but you could easily switch out the heavier PVC pipe blades for cardboard ones. You could even use cardstock if you’re in a pinch, just make sure to add some sealant to the blades so they don’t get wet and soggy.
2. Heavy Duty
This heavy-duty turbine idea mixes a lot of household tools that you’d probably have lying around. This way, you’re using recyclable materials and don’t need to go out and buy all new stuff in order to construct this cool source of energy. The motor in this design is also more powerful, creating a stronger machine.
3. Large Version
This particular turbine is on the larger side, so you’re going to need an anchor to prevent the unit from falling over. This is a more serious project as the motor to this design is very powerful and the blades are sharp and can be dangerous. You best use caution when constructing this one.
4. Turbines for the Skilled
This DIY goes into detail on all the parts you’d need in order to construct this more difficult turbine. A design such as this one would look great outside a farmhouse or even in the front yard. What you choose to do with it is really up to you, but this one is definitely more complicated.
5. 1,000 Watt Wind Model
This 1,000-watt wind-driven turbine is a more serious wind turbine. This baby calls for 1,000 watts in order to power its massive wings. The motor is also more on the serious side as it would take a powerful motor to successfully get those larger blades to move.
6. Parasitic?
This wind energy model is called parasitic because it feeds off of the AC unit’s compressor. This is a cool idea for a wind turbine that simply feeds off the power of an already existing compressor. This could make a fun project if you’re looking for something to do with extra parts.
7. Dandelion DIY
This dandelion wind turbine is both smaller and its delicate wings do kind of look like the petals of a wild dandelion flower. This is a great project if you want to make a smaller turbine unit that is absolutely functional but not too dangerous when it comes to power and size.
8. Coke Bottle Turbo
This Coke bottle turbine is super cool because you are able to recycle an old, used Coke bottle as the wings. This would make a great project for a science fair or even a classroom project. This DIY goes through all the necessary steps to make this design possible.
9. Diffusing the Wind
This diffuser wind-powered turbine is super cool because it uses two buckets as part of its construction. This is an interesting DIY for a turbine since the materials are a bit different from the past instructions. This is also a smaller scale model so the power won’t be so strong.
10. Darrius
This Darrius wind turbine is super cool because it can teach students about renewable energy. This model also utilises a wind tunnel, so this is more of an educational tool than just a standalone wind turbine. This DIY gives you all the instruction on how to create this cool energy unit.
11. Half-Brainer Idea
This DIY claims that even someone with half a brain can pull off this wind energy design. In other words, this is a super simple DIY article that can help you construct a functional wind turbine without needing to be a scientist to figure it out. This is a fun project with very simple instructions.
12. Vertical Axis
This vertical-axis wind turbine looks super impressive and it is a bit of a challenge to make if you aren’t familiar with the complete construction of a wind turbine. This design may be a bit smaller, but it does garner plenty of energy from this nifty renewable source.
13. LENZ2 Model
This super cool LENZ2 Wind Turbine was made from materials found around the house. So, not only is this design a source of renewable energy, but it used mostly recyclable materials for its very construction. This is a super cool project that can be a tool for representing conservation as well.
14. Wind Turbine Model
This particular model is a great starter for anyone who isn’t familiar with the basic make of wind turbines. This is the kind of turbine that you make before you start on the larger scale. This simple DIY tells you all about the process and how to make this cute turbine.
15. How-To DIY
This DIY gives you the basic information on how to build an actual wind turbine. This is a simpler DIY, but the finished product is actually larger in scale. This design does require a dowel and a larger board, so make sure to follow the instructions for this DIY correctly in order to execute this one right.
16. Upping the Game
This wind-powered turbine game mixes a DIY tutorial on how to construct a turbine with an actual game. This would be a great game and project to execute within a classroom because each group could build their own turbine and then literally blow them away with how unique each turbine is.
17. A Windy Tutorial
This particular tutorial features a DIY for a more powerful finished unit. These are the types of turbines you more commonly see throughout larger fields or in more rural areas in order to power houses and factories. This is a larger-scale model, but it’s actually super cool.
18. Charge Your Phone with Wind!
This wind-driven turbine phone charger is a great DIY that actually creates a renewable energy phone charger through a wind turbine. This way, you can learn how to construct a turbine and actually be able to charge your phone through this renewable form of energy.
19. Wasp Wind Energy
This super cool Wasp wind turbine is a DIY for a turbine that is sure to be fun to make. The finished product will be really awesome to watch, too. This is a wind-powered generator constructed in the most efficient model possible. This would make an awesome class project or even just a personal hobby craft.
20. Small Scale
This DIY for this small wind energy unit is explanatory in how to make a wind turbine on the x-axis. This creates a taller one that will look super cool outside of the house. This would also make a great project for a family fun day.
21. Back to Basics
This basic instructable for this wind-driven turbine is a simpler one, so don’t let the photos intimidate you. This would be a really cool project to do with some kids or even as a class project. According to this tutorial, there was enough power from this turbine to light up an LED light.
22. It’s Electric!
This tutorial instructs you on how to create a turbine that is sure to produce electricity. This is a relatively easy tutorial that tells you how to install a generator and how to care for the blades of the actual finished unit. You don’t need to be an expert to execute this one correctly.
23. Vertical Axis Model
This vertical-axis wind-powered turbine looks really unique and has a lot of interesting features. Unlike most of the designs we’ve already covered, this axis design stands more upright and is more compact than the standard fanned-out type that we are accustomed to.
24. Old Office Chair Mount
This cool wind-powered turbine features using an old office hair as the mount. This would be a fun project to do in a classroom or even within an office since you’re using a chair anyway. Going green and living more sustainably is becoming more and more popular these days, and this is just an extra fun quirk to the project.
25. Perfect Pringles
This wind-powered turbine is constructed from a Pringles chip can. This would make an awesome project for anyone who is interested in creating a renewable energy source and using something recyclable at the same time. Make a few of these turbines using a few Pringles chip cans.
26. Axial Flux Energy
This seven-foot axial flux wind-powered turbine is a great way to create a larger model without having to worry about anything massive. This relatively simple tutorial brings in the best of both worlds: renewable energy sources and the ease of a relatively simple DIY project.
27. Smart Drive, Big Results
This dual stator smart drive wind turbine may seem impossible to construct, but really, this tutorial breaks the whole process down nicely. It is a bit of a complex project, so this wouldn’t be the best project for someone who is just starting out experimenting with turbines.
28. Unique Source of Energy
This is a unique wind energy unit with self-adjusting foils. This is a special project due to that foil feature, but also the design is also really interesting to look at. This is also a lighter design so it won’t be too heavy and you can even keep it around the house as depicted.
29. Design and Print Blades
This tutorial demonstrates how to design and print your very own wind turbine blades. This model of turbine can run efficiently with a 3D printer and some ingenuity. This tutorial shows you exactly how to access and use the 3D printer in order to print your very own parts to construct your turbine.
30. Large Scale Energy
This tutorial tells you how to construct a sixteen-foot wind energy design. This is a very large turbine and you should go into this project with some general knowledge about a wind energy project since this wouldn’t be an easy one to execute.
31. Take Your Pick!
This page of various wind turbines demonstrates just how unique these things can be and how different each model can be. This gives anyone looking to start their own turbines a glimpse into all the various types of designs there are and how many models are out there.
32. Basic Energy Source
This basic model goes into plenty of detail when it comes to scale, size, and power. All the materials to start this turbine are nicely descriptive and each of these parts is easy to find in any hardware store or even online if you don’t mind waiting for shipping.
33. Lots of Turbines
This article has so many different models when it comes to wind-powered turbines, there’s even a turbine tutorial for making a turbine out of an Easter egg. If you’re not sure which type of turbine design to go with, take a gander through these ideas and see which one you’d like to try for yourself.
34. Windy the Turbine
This cute turbine tutorial features Windy the Turbine. This is a relatively simple tutorial that shows you exactly how to go about constructing your very own turbine for a renewable energy source. The author of this model is an electoral engineering student, so you get to see the processes step-by-step.
35. Propeller Perfection
This propeller wind turbine features an actual ready-made propeller. The propeller makes this particular design a bit easier to execute since some of the hardest parts are already done for you. For the rest of the turbine, the tutorial goes into detail as far as what you need and where to get the parts.
36. Mini Energy
This mini wind energy producer is really cute and actually not that hard to execute. The tutorial gives you clear and concise step-by-step instructions so that you can easily recreate your very own mini-model for the home. This would be super cute in a garden or even in a smaller outdoor space for some extra power.
37. Miniature Model
This is a super cute miniature wind turbine. It’s just as cute as the title describes. Surprisingly, this tutorial is pretty simple to follow, too. You can easily construct this mini design with simple parts and it won’t cost too much money to make, either.
38. 1M Wind Turbine
This 1M Wind Powered Turbine is a great example of how clear and concise these tutorials can be. The tutorial explains some trials and errors the constructor first had at the beginning of this project and ways to avoid these missteps so that you can make the most perfect wind energy source possible.
39. A Simple Source
This simple wind unit details exactly how to make an efficient wind energy producer without getting too much into detail. This is a project suitable for anyone who isn’t experienced in building wind turbines or who is curious and just starting out researching different types of models of.
40. 12 Volt DIY Model
This tutorial for this 12-volt wind-powered turbine is great because even though this is a tiny unit, it works exactly like and just as efficiently as those larger ones you find in the more rural areas. This turbine will produce plenty of energy for a small-scale project.
41. On the Small Side
This small-scale wind turbine is a great project for anyone who wants to go through the process of making one, but for someone who doesn’t have access to all these larger parts that the big designs need. This would make a great day project for someone just getting started.
42. 3D Printed Turbine
Using 3D printers are becoming a more popular and sustainable way to print project parts with absolutely zero waste. In this tutorial, this turbine is made mostly of 3D parts. You can simply print all the parts you need in order to construct this fully functional wind-powered turbine.
43. Smart Energy
This tutorial is for a smart wind-powered turbine that deals with plenty of encoders and other more complicated parts of a large-scale wind turbine. This definitely isn’t a project for anyone who wants to construct a turbine like this in a short amount of time, but it’s a project that will definitely teach you things along the way.
Conclusion
So, as you can see, you don’t necessarily need to be a rocket scientist in order to create your very own wind-powered turbine. Whether you’re a pro at creating wind turbines or are a novice just starting out, there are plenty of tutorials out there for you to try and you can easily find a tutorial that is right for you.
Not sure which tutorial to try? Maybe first decide on your skillset and what size turbine you are hoping to construct. Have any experience in building a turbine for yourself? We’d love to hear from you! Please share your experiences and insights in the comments below so we can all get some more useful information.
