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Urban wind power | 21 comments (21 topical, editorial)

Re: Urban wind power (4.00 / 1) (#11)
by ADMIN (info74 at otherpower.com) on Fri Dec 16th, 2005 at 11:39:01 AM MST
(User Info)

Good points, everyone. I didn't even touch the issues of mounting a turbine to your house, or the lack of net metering in the UK. I agree with Bruce that it's probably a slick and inexpensive bunch of electronics in their controller box -- I'd like to get ahold of one of those and have one of our grid-connected friends in town check it out.

From the install info on the windsave website, it appears that a 'Kill-O-Watt' type of inexpensive kW/hour meter could be plugged in, and would track the important figures -- kW/hrs per day, month and year, which are missing from the WindSave website. Any volunteers? If there's one of these turbines near you, see if you can get permission to put a meter in the line. They cost only US$40.

ADMIN

Re: Urban wind power (4.00 / 1) (#17)
by richhagen (richhagen (a t) Juno.com) on Sun Dec 18th, 2005 at 12:19:29 PM MST
(User Info)

In order to install one legally here (Chicago), one could not just plug it in. In order to connect it to the grid, it would have to be UL approved, installed on a dedicated circuit after inspection and approval of an acceptable plan to the local utilities engineers or technicians. Then it would have to be installed by a licensed electrician. I'm not sure of other zoning restrictions, but there are maximum height restrictions written into the zoning here as well which have been applied to antennas and such. In Illinois there were substantial tax savings, which may be still in effect, but the total size for wind power to take advantage of these was 10000 Watts. (It was 2000 Watts for solar) I looked into this, but the costs by the time you got it installed, meant to me, that unless you were putting in a huge system, it would never pay for itself in its likely useful life, and that was providing you could make it over all of the hurdles. Rich Hagen
'A Joule saved is a Joule made'
[ Parent ]

Re: Urban wind power (3.00 / 1) (#12)
by CG on Sat Dec 17th, 2005 at 03:10:28 AM MST
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But have I got it right? Does it mean that if you are not drawing power in your house, the electricity being generated by the turbine at that time leaks out into the grid? If so a two week holiday, with a house more or less shut down mode, represents 4% of a year's generating time. And what about when people are at work and the house is again empty? I have just cycled in through a strong wind to get to town(By the way, my PVC gutter blades where taking some stick but spinning like the clappers. I hope to get some industrial sized PVC gutter and try laminating to get longer blades.) but I only have the fridge running. Does this mean that all this prime time electricity would be given to somebody else? If this is so I can't see you people on your side of the pond standing for it, how do you think it will be different there?

The US Windsave deal hasn't been signed yet, it's reported on the narec site. The story is from the Scotsman newpaper, but I gave the narec address because it carries some good renewable energy news and I thought it may be of some interest to you people.

[ Parent ]

Re: Urban wind power (4.00 / 1) (#13)
by Flux on Sat Dec 17th, 2005 at 04:41:43 AM MST
(User Info)

The whole thing seems to be a scam to please the "seen to be green brigade"

The machine seems to be sound and if the inverter is cheap enough it could be a winner. Properly installed on a decent site it would be a good idea.

The idea that it can be used anywhere in an urban environment is just a scam. It will never pay for itself ( what is the price?) or save anyone anything except a guilty consience.

See Paul Gipes views of urban wind power on his Windworks site.

There is no price and no figures from Windsave . It would be better if they concentrated on areas where it could work and also sold the inverter with suitable approval for some of us to use it to tie better machines to the grid.

The economics seems based on some energy grant that they don't yet have in the UK.
I can't imagine them having the same thing in the US.

If they concentrated on solar for urban areas and left wind power to sites with wind then I might hold them in higher regard.

Flux

[ Parent ]

Urban wind power | 21 comments (21 topical, 0 editorial)

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