Wind Power Project Ideas for 4-H and FFA

Why wind makes a good project

Wind turbines are common on farms and ranches in many regions, and a wind project lets members study the science behind them. You can investigate how wind speed varies by location and season, how blade design affects spin and how electrical output is measured. Everything on this page is a classroom-scale model or a study, not construction of a tower.

Project ideas

Beginner: make a simple cup anemometer or use a handheld one and record wind speed at three spots around your property.
Beginner: build model blades from cardboard and compare how fast a small fan-driven pinwheel turns with different shapes.
Intermediate: test blade number, pitch and length on a small hobby generator in front of a fan, measuring voltage with a meter.
Intermediate: study published wind maps for your state and write a site assessment for a farm.
Advanced: analyze a year of local wind data and estimate how much a small turbine might produce, then compare with a household's electricity use.

What you learn

Members pick up energy conversion, measurement, graphing and the idea that power rises sharply with wind speed. Experiments teach fair testing, since changing only one blade feature at a time is the only way to know what mattered. Site assessment brings in terrain, obstacles and height.

Keeping it safe

Keep model tests indoors or in safe, sheltered spots with a fan, and keep fingers and hair away from spinning blades. Do not climb towers or work near real turbines. Any real small turbine installation involves heights, electricity and local permits, and must be done by qualified professionals. Do not connect experiments to household wiring.

Planning a blade test

Decide what you will change and what stays fixed. Keep the fan speed, distance, blade length and hub the same, and change only the blade angle. Use a meter to record voltage for ten seconds at each setting and repeat three times. Average the readings, graph them and write what you think happened. Then change blade count, keeping everything else the same. Having a written plan before testing prevents the common mistake of changing several things at once and having no idea which one made the difference.

Cost and time

A fan, a small motor or generator, cardboard and a meter cost little. Data collection can run for weeks, with brief daily readings. A neat spreadsheet saves time later.

Records and exhibits

Keep data tables, graphs, photos and a clear question. Display boards fit most fair exhibit classes, subject to local rules. Related pages: power of wind, solar power and home energy. The U.S. Department of Energy has wind energy education material, and the National Weather Service provides wind observations.

Where it leads

Careers include wind technician, energy analyst, electrical engineer and farm energy consultant. Explore farm.fm's farming section and agriculture.directory for more. Add this to your FFA and 4-H project ideas if you like data and outdoor weather.