New and Improved Wind Power
(Page 5 of 7)
June/July 2007
By Greg Pahl
We did have an initial problem with a turbine component,” says Tom Carter, director of operations at Crossroads for Youth, a residential school for at risk children in Oxford, Mich. “But after it was repaired, the system has operated flawlessly. We’re very pleased with it.”
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Southwest Windpower’s Skystream 3.7 turbine is new to the market, but one prototype has been in successful operation at the Wind Technology Center for more than two years. An additional 20 Skystreams have been in a beta testing program for more than six months in various residential locations around the country. The tests have gone well overall, and except for the usual minor glitches for any new product, no major system failures have been reported. Paul Westbrook of Fairview, Texas, had his beta Skystream installed in September 2006.
“Overall it’s running fine,” he says. Westbrook reports there have been no noise complaints from the neighbors. “In fact, I’ve been getting inquiries from them about how it works, how much it costs and how much power it’s producing,” he says. “There’s been a lot of interest.”
Westbrook does acknowledge the 33-foot tower was not a good match for his site, because part of his property is heavily wooded. “I put the turbine on a clear hill near the street in a corridor that I thought would have pretty good winds, but I have been stunned by how much reduction in wind has resulted from turbulence caused by the trees. Consequently, my power output is running at about one-eighth what it should be.” Westbrook plans to install a taller tower to get the turbine well above the trees.
Westbrook had another problem — getting his system connected to the grid. He’s served by an electric cooperative that had no net metering provisions and no interest in establishing any. It took five months of persistent negotiation to get the connection. Installation experiences like these highlight how crucial it is to study all the issues involved with a site before you proceed. With proper siting, residential wind may be a great way to reduce your energy costs and make a positive difference for the environment.
With growing consumer interest, there’s a good deal of optimism in the small wind sector. “We’re in a very dynamic, emerging market right now with all these state incentives in place,” Green says. “But a lot still depends on the future of energy prices.” Kruse agrees. “I’m very optimistic about it,” he says. “Provided that the cost of utility energy keeps on going up, and we keep the cost of renewable energy down with innovative technologies, it’s going to be very exciting.”
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