By Poornima Gupta -

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 17 (Reuters) - Technology giant Intel Corporation is seeing big opportunities in wind forecasting for power generation, and in information management for electric vehicles, John Skinner, Intel’s director of marketing for its Eco-Technology division said on Tuesday.

Intel already sells microprocessors to wind turbine manufacturers and this would be an expansion of that business.

Adoption of wide-scale wind power would rely on accurate forecasting, such as when the wind would blow and how fast, he said.

“There’s a lot of opportunities for sensor technology and high performance computing,” he said in an interview on the sidelines of an industry conference. “We are starting to explore it.”

Intel has said it wants to grow its processor and software presence outside the traditional markets and has invested in a number of green technology companies through its venture capital arm Intel Capital.

Wind and solar power have gained in popularity but mass adoption has been hindered by the fact that neither power works around the clock. Solar panels don’t work at night and wind turbines only spin when the wind blows.

“We see numerical forecasting (in wind) as very interesting opportunity,” he said, adding that “every extra bit of granularity and predictability” on wind power is very valuable.

Another sector that Intel is eyeing is electric vehicles.

Intel Head Quarters

Skinner said that transportation industry is “very ripe” for the application of microprocessors.

“Electric vehicles are going to contain a lot of electronics,” he said, adding that Intel could see itself being involved certain aspects of the electric car such as energy management and range prediction.

“It would be an extension of our business in telematics,” he said. (Reporting by Poornima Gupta; editing by Carol Bishopric

RELATED ARTICLES:

• Wind Measureing

• Wind Turbine Manufacturers

• Top 50 Green Companies of the World

• 10 Major Wind Power Companies of the World

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY - OCEAN THERMAL ENERGY – THE FACTS –

A process called Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) uses the heat energy stored in the Earth’s oceans to generate electricity.
OTEC works best when the temperature difference between the warmer, top layer of the ocean and the colder, deep ocean water is about 20°C (36°F). These conditions exist in tropical coastal areas, roughly between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Tropic of Cancer. To bring the cold water to the surface, OTEC plants require an expensive, large diameter intake pipe, which is submerged a mile or more into the ocean’s depths.

Oceans cover more than 70% of Earth’s surface, making them the world’s largest solar collectors. The sun’s heat warms the surface water a lot more than the deep ocean water, and this temperature difference creates thermal energy.

Ocean thermal energy can be used for many applications, including electricity generation and energy experts believe that if it could become cost-competitive with conventional power technologies, OTEC could produce billions of watts of electrical power.

ADVANTAGES:

• Ocean thermal is also relatively clean and will not produce more pollutants that contribute to global warming.
• Helps produce fuels such as hydrogen, ammonia, and methanol
• Produces base load electrical energy
• Produces desalinated water for industrial, agricultural, and residential uses
• Is a resource for on-shore and near-shore mariculture operations
• Has potential to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions resulting from burning fossil fuels.

DISADVANTAGES:

• OTEC plants can alter and maybe damage the surrounding ecosystem
• Pollution can be caused by closed cycle OTEC if intermediate chemicals leak into the ocean.
• OTEC power plants require substantial capital investment upfront.
• OTEC researchers believe private sector firms probably will be unwilling to make the enormous initial investment required to build large-scale plants.
• There are only a few hundred land-based sites in the tropics where deep-ocean water is close enough to shore to make OTEC plants feasible.

MAIN COMPONENTS of an OCEAN THERMAL SYSTEM

•    Axial flow turbines with vertical rotatable shaft
•    Annular steam inlet structure  - through which motive steam is supplied to said turbine blades
•    Steam outlet structure through which motive steam is exhausted after expansion through said blades
•    Flash evaporator – which is disposed about the turbine’s shaft
•    Annular condenser – which is disposed axially adjacent to the
•    Outer tube sheets
•    Generator – which is driven by the turbine for producing electrical energy

RELATED ARTICLES:

Alternative Energy - The Facts - Ocean Wave energy - Part 7

Alternative Energy - The Facts - Solar Power - Part 6

Alternative Energy - The Facts - Tidal Energy - Part 5

Alternative Energy - The Facts - Geothermal Energy - Part 4

Alternative Energy - The Facts - Solar Power - Part 3

Alternative Energy - The Facts - Wind Power - Part 2

Alternative Energy - The Facts - An Introduction Into Renewable Energy - Part 1

Looking for or got alternative energy equipment for sale?

Look no further and go straight to our ‘Renewable Energy Market Place‘

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THE ALTERNATIVE ENERGY BLOG

Alternative Energy News digest with MyWindPowerSystem’s News - click here

By Camille Ricketts -

Engineering giant Siemens has made its presence felt in the wind business, winning six contracts to build 565-megawatts worth of wind turbines, valued at more than $900 million. About 250 of the turbines will be installed in Ontario Canada, with the other 750 (enough to power 170,000 homes) destined for wind farms in California, Oklahoma, Washington and Wyoming (for a project owned and operated by Duke Energy).

Having first entered the wind market five years ago, Siemens is steadily climbing the ranks of turbine suppliers in the U.S. — especially after starting construction on its new turbine factory in Kansas last month (it’s expected to be up and running by fall of next year). As it stands, it’s the sixth largest manufacturer in the world, according to Bloomberg, still lingering behind Vestas Wind Systems, GE Wind Energy, Gamesa Corporacion Tecnologica, SA, Enercon and Suzlon Energy (though its No. 1 in offshore turbine installations). It says it hopes to rank third in the world by 2012.

Siemens growing involvement in wind has been good for green collar workers in the U.S. It already employs 900 at its various wind facilities, including its recently opened blade-making factory in Iowa. The plant in Kansas is expected to tack 400 more jobs onto this total.

It makes sense that Siemens is betting to wind — the fastest growing sector in renewable energy. Last year, wind energy provided half of the electricity generated in the U.S., the Department of Energy says. And that was before wind farms benefited from generous federal subsidies handed out this year. The majority of $1.5 billion in cash grants given out by the DOE to clean energy projects in the last month went to wind developments. And a report by Pike Research predicted that North America will be home to 40,000 brand new wind turbines by 2015. Siemens says it predicts the space to grow 17 percent annually.

Still, wind power is only a fraction of Siemens’ cleantech portfolio (accountable for $28.4 billion, or 25 percent, of the conglomerate’s revenue last year). It has also ratcheted up its efforts in the Smart Grid market, signing a technology interoperability deal with Smart Grid company Silver Spring Networks at the end of September. Now the electrical substations it builds will be able to communicate with the networking software and hardware Silver Spring supplies to transmit energy consumption data collected by smart meters.

Danish wind manufacturer Vestas is planning to invest  $380m in Gujarat, Kutch - India.

The world’s number one wind power solutions provider Vestas is increasing its installed capacity in Gujarat after the third largest wind turbine manufacturer in the world, Suzlon Energy, has already decided to expand the capacity of its wind farm in Kutch.

Vestas has already got a wind power generation capacity of 60 Mw in Gujarat. “Vestas is planning to install another 250 Mw capacity in Kutch in the next one year or so. Vestas recently participated in the India Energy Conclave 2009 organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry in Ahmedabad.

The project would involve an investment of about $380m. Vestas Wind Energy has signed a memorandum of understanding with the state government for setting up 1,000 Mw wind farm projects in the state for an investment of $1,517m. The Danish wind player has got the necessary government clearances for the expansion and is currently looking for investors for its 250 Mw wind farm.

“Apart from Gujarat, Tamil Nadu is also on Vestas’ radar for a 100-Mw wind power project,” the official added. The company intends to put up 1,200 Mw of installed wind power capacity in India in the long run. Gujarat is fast emerging as the hub for renewable energy. Recently, Chennai-based Winwind Power Energy and Parle announced their plans to set up wind farms in the state. Winwind plans to develop a 100-Mw wind farm at Surajbari in Kutch for an Ahmedabad-based company. The company would infuse $141m in the project. Parle Products, biscuits and confectionery manufacturer, would invest $9m in its project.

Meanwhile, Suzlon Energy is all set to double the capacity of its wind farm at Jhakhau in Kutch to 1,500 Mw.

The state government expects to add 3,000 Mw of wind power in the next three years. The current installed capacity of wind power in the state is around 1,500 Mw. It may be mentioned that Gujarat has the potential to generate 10,645 Mw of wind power.

Wind Turbine Manufacturers and Wind Turbine Companies are listed here in alphabetical order. A comprehensive list of all world wide major Wind Turbine manufacturers and companies with links to their home page. The listed manufacturers and companies are specialists in the wind energy and wind power manufacturing sector producing horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWT) as well as vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT). Wind turbine designs have undergone dramatic changes since the first windmill structure invented in 1888 by Charles F. Brush’s which was 60 foot high and weighted 80,000 pound and yet only produced 12kW of electricity.

MANUFACTURERS OF WIND TURBINES, WIND MILLS, WIND GENERATORS, WINDMILL BLADES IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER:

*note: links currently still undergoing updates!

* AAER Systems (Canada)
* Acciona Energy (Spain)
* AeroCity Wind Power (USA)
* Aeronautica Wind (USA)
* Aerostar Wind Turbines (USA)
* Aircon (Germany)
* Americas Wind Energy Inc. (Canada) (see also Lagerwey Wind)
* AN Windenergie (Germany) - bought by Siemens in 2005, now Siemens Wind Power GmbH
* A.Ayvazian & Associates (Iran)
* Bard Engineering (Germany)
* Bergey (USA)
* Bonus Energy (Denmark), now Siemens - bought by Siemens in 2004
* Clipper Windpower (USA)
* CWind Inc. (Canada)
* Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (Korea)
* DarwinD (Netherlands)
* DeWind (Germany/USA) - bought by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering in 2009
* Doosan (Korea)
* Dragonfly Industries Inc (USA)
* DyoCore Inc (USA)
* Emergya Wind Technologies (EWT) (Netherlands)
* Ecotècnia (Spain)
* E.N.O. (Germany)
* Enercon (Germany)
* Entegrity Wind Systems (Canada)
* Eozen (Spain)
* Eviag (Germany)
* Evoco Energy (UK)
* Fuhrländer (Germany)
* Gamesa Eólica (Spain)
* General Electric (USA)
* Goldwind (China)
* Green Wave (USA)
* Hanjin (Korea)
* Harakosan (Netherlands) bought by STX Corporation in 2009
* Heartland Energy Solutions (USA)
* HelixWind (USA)
* Home Energy (The Netherlands)
* Hush Wind Power Limited (Australia)
* Hyosung (Korea)
* Hyundai Heavy Industries (Korea)
* Impsa (Argentina)
* Innovative Windpower AG (Germany)
* Jacobs, now Wind turbine industries (USA)
* Lagerwey - gone bankrupt in 2003 succeeded by Wind Energy Solutions, Emergya Wind Technologies, Harakosan and DarwinD (Netherlands)
* Lagerwey Wind (The Netherlands)
* Leitwind (Italy)
* Liquid Wind (USA)
* Kenersys (India) - belongs to Kalyani Group
* Kestrel Wind Turbines (South Africa)
* Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (Japan)
* Multibrid GmbH Germany) - owned by AREVA
* MTorres (Spain)
* NEG Micon, now part of Vestas
* Neo-Aerodynamic (USA)
* Nordex (Germany)
* Norwin (Denmark)
* Nordic Windpower (USA)
* Nordwind Energieanlagen GmbH (Germany)
* Northern Power Systems (USA)
* NRG Patagonia SA (Argentina)
* PacWind (USA)
* Pales Engineering (Turkey)
* Pioneer Wincon (India)
* Powerhouse Wind (New Zealand)
* PowerWind GmbH (Germany)
* Proven Energy Wind Turbines (UK - Global supplier of 2.5kW, 6kW & 15kW)
* REpower (Germany) - bought by Suzlon in 2007
* Samsung Heavy Industries(Korea)
* Scanwind(Norway)
* SEaB Energy
* Shanghai Aeolus windpower(SAWT) (China)
* Siemens (Denmark / Germany)
* Sinovel (China - PRC) (China)
* Southwest Windpower (USA)
* SRC Vertical (Russia)
* STX Corporation(Korea)
* Suzlon (India)
* technoWIND
* TMA
* Turbotricity (2.5 KW Domestic Wind Turbines)
* Turbowinds
* Unison (Korea)
* Vensys (Germany)
* Vestas (Denmark), the world’s largest manufacturer of wind turbines [1]
* Vergnet (France)
* WES Canada (Canada/US)
* Wind Energy Solutions (Netherlands)
* Windflow (New Zealand)
* Wind Simplicity Inc (Canada)
* WinWinD (Finland)
* Windtec (Austria/US) - subsidiary of American Super Conductor Corporation

Wind Turbine Manufacturers and Wind Turbine Companies above are listed here in alphabetical order. A comprehensive list of all world wide major Wind Turbine manufacturers and companies with links to their home page. The listed manufacturers and companies are specialists in the wind energy and wind power manufacturing sector producing horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWT) as well as vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT). Wind turbine designs have undergone dramatic changes since the first windmill structure invented in 1888 by Charles F. Brush’s which was 60 foot high and weighted 80,000 pound and yet only produced 12kW of electricity.

World Wind Maps - Wind Atlases of the World.

This article provides you with essential links to world wide wind maps. The maps contain data on the wind speed and wind direction in a region. Typically, a climatological wind atlas covers hourly averages at a standard height (10 meter) over even longer periods (30 years). You can make use of a wind atlas when you are looking into pre-selecting wind farm sites. The wind atlas methodology and has been applied in more than 100 countries and territories around the world - for national, regional and local studies. A list of major national and regional studies - several of which contain WAsP data files on disk - is given below. The 35+ countries on this page are:

Algeria

Hammouche, R. (1991). Atlas Vent de l’Algérie. In French. Office National de la Météorologie, Alger. 150 pp. Send e-mail.

Australia

Dear, S.J., M.J. Bell and T.J. Lyons (1990). Western Australian Wind Atlas. Report No. 64, Minerals and Energy Research Institute of Western Australia, Perth. 28 pp. + 14 App.

Austria

Dobesch, H. and G. Kury (1997). Wind Atlas for the Central European countries Austria, Croatia, Czech Repulic, Hungary, Slovak Republic and Slovenia. Österreichische Beiträge zu Meteorologie und Geophysik, Heft 16, 105 pp. Zentralanstalt für Meteorologie und Geodynamik, Wien.

Belgium

European Wind Atlas (1989), see Europe. Send e-mail.

Brazil

Barbezier, G.L., E.A. Feitosa and J.S. Rohatgi (1999). Wind Atlas for the Northeast Region of Brazil. WANEB version 1.0. Brazilian Wind Energy Centre, Recife. 46 pp.

Croatia

Dobesch, H. and G. Kury (1997). Wind Atlas for the Central European countries Austria, Croatia, Czech Repulic, Hungary, Slovak Republic and Slovenia. Österreichische Beiträge zu Meteorologie und Geophysik, Heft 16, 105 pp. Zentralanstalt für Meteorologie und Geodynamik, Wien.

Czech Republic

Dobesch, H. and G. Kury (1997). Wind Atlas for the Central European countries Austria, Croatia, Czech Repulic, Hungary, Slovak Republic and Slovenia. Österreichische Beiträge zu Meteorologie und Geophysik, Heft 16, 105 pp. Zentralanstalt für Meteorologie und Geodynamik, Wien.

Hosek, J., J. Jez, J. Svoboda and J. Stekl (2004). Comparison of the mean wind speed fields computed by three models over the area of the Czech Republic. DEWI Magazin Nr. 24, 66-71.

Denmark

Petersen, E.L., I. Troen, S. Frandsen and K. Hedegaard (1981). Danish Windatlas. A rational method of wind energy siting. Risø-R-428. Risø National Laboratory, Roskilde. 229 pp. Send e-mail.

European Wind Atlas (1989), see Europe. Send e-mail.

Mortensen, N.G., L. Landberg, O. Rathmann, G. Jensen and E.L. Petersen (1999). Wind Atlas Analysis of 24 Danish Stations (1987-96). In preparation for publication as Risø-R-1092(EN). Risø National Laboratory, Roskilde.

Energy and Environmental Data and Risø National Laboratory (1999). Wind Resource Atlas for Denmark 1999.

Egypt

Mortensen, N.G. and Usama Said Said (1996). Wind Atlas for the Gulf of Suez. Measurements and modeling 1991-95. Risø National Laboratory, Roskilde; New and Renewable Energy Authority, Cairo. ISBN 87-550-2143-3. 114 pp. Send e-mail.

Mortensen, N.G., U. Said Said, H.P. Frank, L. Georgy, C.B. Hasager, M. Akmal, J.C. Hansen and A. Abdel Salam (2003). Wind Atlas for the Gulf of Suez. Measurements and Modelling 1991-2001. New and Renewable Energy Authority, Cairo, and Risø National Laboratory, Roskilde. ISBN 87-550-3195-1. 196 pp. Send e-mail.

Mortensen, N.G., J.C. Hansen, J. Badger, B.H. Jørgensen, C.B. Hasager, L. Georgy Youssef, U. Said Said, A. Abd El-Salam Moussa, M. Akmal Mahmoud, A. El Sayed Yousef, A. Mahmoud Awad, M. Abd-El Raheem Ahmed, M. A.M. Sayed, M. Hussein Korany, M. Abd-El Baky Tarad (2005). Wind Atlas for Egypt, Measurements and Modelling 1991-2005. New and Renewable Energy Authority, Egyptian Meteorological Authority and Risø National Laboratory. ISBN 87-550-3493-4. 258 pp.

Estonia

Rathmann, O. (2003). The UNDP/GEF Baltic Wind Atlas. Risø-R-1402(EN). Risø National Laboratory, Roskilde. 36 pp.

Europe

Troen, I. and E.L. Petersen (1989). European Wind Atlas. ISBN 87-550-1482-8. Risø National Laboratory, Roskilde. 656 pp. Send e-mail.

Finland

Tammelin, B. (1991). Suomen Tuuliatlas. Vind Atlas för Finland (Wind Atlas for Finland). In Finnish/Swedish. Finnish Meteorological Institute, Helsinki. 355 pp.

France

European Wind Atlas (1989), see Europe. Send e-mail.

Georgia

Gelovani, M., G. Chikvaidze, V. Eristavi, N. Lobdjanidze, S. Rogava, M. Rishkov, E. Sukhishvili, O. Tusishvili, A. Zedginidze and I. Zedginidze (2004). Wind Energy Atlas of Georgia. Volume I: Regional estimations. Edited by A. Zedginidze; Advisor: L. Horowicz. Karenergo Scientific Wind Energy Center, Tbilisi, 285 pp. ISBN 99928-0-910-8.

Germany

European Wind Atlas (1989), see Europe. Send e-mail.

Traup, S. and B. Kruse (1996). Wind und Wind-energiepotentiale in Deutschland. Winddaten für Windenergienutzer. In German. Selbstverlag des Deutschen Wetterdienstes, Offenbach am Main. 445 pp.

Greece

European Wind Atlas (1989), see Europe. Send e-mail.

Greenland

Mortensen, N.G. and L. Landberg (1993). Wind Energy in selected townships of Greenland: Qasigiannguit, Sisimiut and Narsaq. In Danish. Prepared for Nukissiorfiit/Greenland Power Company. Risø-I-718(DA). Risø National Laboratory, Roskilde. 37 pp. Send e-mail.

Hungary

Dobesch, H. and G. Kury (1997). Wind Atlas for the Central European countries Austria, Croatia, Czech Repulic, Hungary, Slovak Republic and Slovenia. Österreichische Beiträge zu Meteorologie und Geophysik, Heft 16, 105 pp. Zentralanstalt für Meteorologie und Geodynamik, Wien.

Ireland

European Wind Atlas (1989), see Europe. Send e-mail.

Watson, R. and L. Landberg (2002). The Irish Wind Atlas. University College Dublin, Dublin. In preparation.

Italy

European Wind Atlas (1989), see Europe. Send e-mail.

Jordan

Højstrup, J. (1989). Wind Atlas for Jordan. Risø National Laboratory, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Jordan Electrical Authority, and Jordan Meteorological Department. 86 pp.

Latvia

Rathmann, O. (2003). The UNDP/GEF Baltic Wind Atlas. Risø-R-1402(EN). Risø National Laboratory, Roskilde. 36 pp.

Lithuania

Rathmann, O. (2003). The UNDP/GEF Baltic Wind Atlas. Risø-R-1402(EN). Risø National Laboratory, Roskilde. 36 pp.

Luxembourg

European Wind Atlas (1989), see Europe. Send e-mail.

Mali

Badger, J., S. Larsen, K. Rasmussen, T.T. Nielsen, L.B. Hansen, A. Mariko, I. Togola and Ivan Nygård (Editor) (2008). Renewable energy resources in Mali - preliminary mapping. UNEP Risoe Centre, Risø National Laboratory, Technical University of Denmark. 66 pp.

The Netherlands

European Wind Atlas (1989), see Europe. Send e-mail.

Norway

Børresen, J.A. (1987). Wind Atlas for the North Sea and the Norwegian Sea. Norwegian University Press and Norwegian Meteorological Institute, Oslo. 184 pp.

Portugal

European Wind Atlas (1989), see Europe. Send e-mail.

Russia

Rathmann, O. (1998). Wind atlas analysis for 12 meteorological stations on the Kola Peninsula. Risø-I-1285(EN). Risø National Laboratory, Roskilde. 36 pp.

Starkov, A.N., L. Landberg, P.P. Bezroukikh and M.M. Borisenko (2000). Russian Wind Atlas. ISBN 5-7542-0067-6. Russian-Danish Institute for Energy Efficiency, Moscow; Risø National Laboratory, Roskilde. 551 pp. Send e-mail.

Slovak Republic

Dobesch, H. and G. Kury (1997). Wind Atlas for the Central European countries Austria, Croatia, Czech Repulic, Hungary, Slovak Republic and Slovenia. Österreichische Beiträge zu Meteorologie und Geophysik, Heft 16, 105 pp. Zentralanstalt für Meteorologie und Geodynamik, Wien.

Slovenia

Dobesch, H. and G. Kury (1997). Wind Atlas for the Central European countries Austria, Croatia, Czech Repulic, Hungary, Slovak Republic and Slovenia. Österreichische Beiträge zu Meteorologie und Geophysik, Heft 16, 105 pp. Zentralanstalt für Meteorologie und Geodynamik, Wien.

South Africa

Diab, R. (1995). Wind Atlas of South Africa. Department of Mineral and Energy Affairs, Pretoria, 136 pp.

Spain

European Wind Atlas (1989), see Europe. Send e-mail.

Sweden

Krieg, R. (1992). Vindatlas för Sverige (Wind Atlas for Sweden). In Swedish. Slutrapport på projekt 506 269-2 på uppdrag av NUTEK. SMHI, Norrköping. 26 pp.

Krieg, R. (1999). Verifiering af beräknad vind-energiproduktion (Verification of estimated wind power productions). In Swedish. SMHI rapport Nr. 28, SMHI, Norrköping. 25 pp + appendices.

Turkey

Dündar, C., M. Canbaz, N. Akgün and G. Ural (2002). Türkiye Rüzgar Atlasi (Turkish Wind Atlas). Turkish State Meteorological Service and General Directorate of Electrical Power Resources Survey and Development Administration. 218 pp. (Brief description in English and wind resource map).

United Kingdom

European Wind Atlas (1989), see Europe. Send e-mail.

United States of America

Artig, R. (1999). Minnesota Wind Resource Assessment Program. March 1999 report. Minnesota Department of Public Service, St. Paul. 157 pp.

How to buy a wind turbine - important hints and tips!

Buying a wind turbine or wind generator can be very difficult. Especially when you are considering to purchase a larger wind turbine system to achieve excess electricity to sell back to the grid. Whether you’re looking for a small wind turbine, residential turbine, an industrial mega watt turbine or an entire wind farm, we’re here to help.
We want to make sure that you buy the right wind turbine delivering you the right amount of energy for your requirements.

MyWindPowerSystem.com – the best Wind Power site on the planet knows your questions when it comes to purchasing a wind turbine system for your land to generate some extra cash for you from freely available wind. We have combined here for you a list of answers to your questions which then follows a simple 13 Step-by-Step guide as to how to go about to find out if buying a wind turbine is the right decision to make.

Your questions are:

• How do wind turbines work?

• Will I have to change the wiring of my house?

• Will I save money?

• Will I make money?

• What about towers?

• How much does a wind turbine cost?

• What size wind turbine would I need?

• How reliable are wind turbines?

• How reliable are wind turbines?

• Will it help the environment?

• Do I have to take wind measurements for a year or more?

• What are the companies who sellwind turbines?

• Will my utility allow me to connect a wind power system?

• Will I have problems obtaining planning permissions?

Watch this great video to take you on a trip to answer your questions while watching great images and listening to modern music and a mesmerizing soundtrack….or simply read on.

How do wind turbines work?

A wind turbine, which is installed on top of a tall tower, collects kinetic energy from the wind and converts it to electricity that is compatible with a home’s electrical system.

In a normal residential application, a home is served simultaneously by the wind turbine and a local utility. If the wind speeds are below cut-in speed (7-10 mph) there will be no output from the turbine and all of the needed power is purchased from the utility. As wind speeds increase, turbine output increases and the amount of power purchased from the utility is proportionately decreased. When the turbine produces more power than the house needs, the extra electricity is sold to the utility. All of this is done automatically. There are no batteries in a modern residential wind system.

Also, Watch this high quality video animation

Will I have to change the wiring of my house?

No, Grid-tie converters can be connected to your existing power circuit. No. A wind turbine is easily retrofitted to virtually any home without the need to change any wiring or appliances. In most cases, the utility will install a second utility meter to measure how much surplus electricity it is purchasing from the turbine owner.

Will I save money?

Yes, if you purchase the right sized turbine and there is sufficiant wind at your location - The wind turbine typically lowers your electricity bill by 50 to 90 percent. It is not uncommon for wind turbine owners with total-electric homes to have monthly utility bills of only $8 to $15 for nine months of the year. In northern parts of the country where less air conditioning is used the bills can be very low year-round. The amount of money a small wind turbine or a large wind turbine system saves you and generates surplus income in the long run will depend upon its cost, the amount of electricity you use, the average wind speed at your site, and other factors such as costs for maintenance. The economics of a wind system are very sensitive to the average wind speed in the area, and to a lesser extent, the cost of purchasing electricity. As a general rule of thumb, a turbine owner should have at least a 7-10 m/s average wind speed and be paying at least 10 cents/kWh for electricity.

Will I make money?

Yes, provided your system is able to generate excess energy with the wind available at your site location. A small wind turbine typically lowers your electricity bill by 50 to 90 percent. It is not uncommon for wind turbine owners with total-electric homes to have monthly utility bills of only $8 to $15 for nine months of the year. In northern parts of the country where less air conditioning is used the bills can be very low year-round. But if you want to generate extra income, you must opt for a larger sized wind turbine to be able to produce excess electricity and to achieve a sound return on your investment. This should be no less than 45,000 kWh excess electricity generated by your wind turbine system per annum. As a general rule of thumb, in order to generate a profitable additional income, a turbine owner should receive at least 10 cents/kWh for the excess electricity sold back to the local grid utility.

What about towers?

Different sized towers are usually available for any size wind turbine. Minimum tower sizes are 80- to 120-foot which are usually supplied along with the wind turbine. Towers this tall are necessary to raise the wind turbine above turbulence generated by obstacles on the ground and trees. Wind velocity and, therefore wind turbine performance, increases with altitude. Several different types of towers are available, depending upon which manufacturer you select. Each type has its advantages; the most economical type of tower is the guyed lattice tower, but a hinged tower can be easier for you to install yourself and provides easier access for maintenance. However, larger turbines require steel towers for which a sound foundation must be constructed.

Old Fashion Style Wind Turbine

How much does a wind turbine cost?

Smaller sized turbines cost $6,000 to $22,000 and larger sized turbines start at approx. $50,000 for a 20Kw system up to $200,000 for a 100Kw system

How reliable are wind turbines?

Wind turbines have very little moving parts and do not require any regular maintenance. However, moving parts are required regular maintenance (usually once per annum) and it is not unheard of turbines operating for up to 20 years.

Will it help the environment?

Yes, any non carbon dioxyde power generating device will help the environment. Wind turbines produce no pollution and by using wind power you will be offsetting pollution that would have been generated by your utility company. Over its life, a small residential wind turbine can offset approximately 1.2 tons of air pollutants and 200 tons of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide and other gases which cause climate change). Larger turbine systems offset multiple times more than this.

Do I have to take wind measurements for a year or more?

No, but a wind assessment will be necessary - more details later on but generally, wind resource data published by the U.S. Department of Energy (http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/solar.renewables/page/wind/wind.gif) is sufficient for an experienced evaluator to predict wind turbine performance. In very hilly or mountainous areas, however, it may be best to collect wind data before purchasing a system to ensure that your site is not in a sheltered area..

Small Residential wind Turbine

Do wind turbines make noise?

Yes, but a modern wind turbine at a distance of a 50m is no noisier than a combination boiler working in your basement

What are the companies who sell wind turbines?

There are many manufacturers and dealerships providing professional sales and after service. Here a few to name:

• Abundant Renewable Energy

• Aerostar

• AeroVironment

• Bergey Windpower Co.

• Entegrity Wind Systems

• Northern Power

• Proven Energy, Ltd.

• Southwest Windpower Co.

• WePOWER

• Hummer

Most dealers also offer either complete turnkey (ready-to-operate) installations or the option to purchase direct from the factory and install the system yourself. The first option offers more customer support from the company. Self-installation offers significant savings and a hands-on understanding of the turbine. Prospective owners can discuss the options available with manufacturers to decide which method best suits their budget and technical skills. However, for larger sized wind turbines, self-installation is not really an option unless you are a wind turbine installation manager yourself and all you need is to hire a construction firm to undertake the necessary work under your supervision. More details at our home page www.MyWindPowerSystem.com

What size turbine would I need for my home or business?

A wind turbine can be a relatively large device and is not suitable for urban or small-lot suburban homes and a property size of one acre or more is desirable.

Homes use is approximately 9,400 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity per year (about 780 kWh per month). Depending upon the average wind speed in the area, a wind turbine rated in the range of 5 to 15 kilowatts would be required to make a significant contribution to meet this demand. Remember, if you want to generate extra income, your system needs to be able to produce excess electricity and to achieve a sound return on your investment, and as said before, this should be no less than 45,000 kWh excess electricity generated by your wind turbine system per annum.

Will I have problems obtaining planning permissions?

Not if the local township planning office has already granted planning permissions for wind turbines in your area before. Drive and look around in your local area and if you can or have seen operating wind turbines then it is most likely that obtaining a planning permission is just a technicality and a question of paying the necessary fees.

Industrial Wind Turbine

Want to go ahead and buy a wind turbine?

Here are the steps you take for a succesful project:

STEP-By-STEP GUIDE to ‘How To Buy A Wind Turbine’

1.) First you need to find out if there is enough wind at all available at your site location. Perform a rough wind assessment for your location by going to http://firstlook.3tiergroup.com/ and enter your site location details. Note! The average yearly wind speed for your area should be 7-10m/s or higher. You can also refer to Wind resource data published by the U.S. Department of Energy.

2.) Contact your town-ship planning office and find out the max. tower/hub height and max. rotor diameter for a wind turbine allowed in your area. You need to know this to establish what the maximum size turbine (by kWh output) you will be allowed to operate at your site location.

Now you know roughly how much wind is available at your location and you also know the max. rotor diameter and hub height allowed for a wind turbine to operate at your site. With this information, you are now able to estimate the amount of electricity likely to be generated by a given wind turbine over the course of a year. How do I get this estimate?

3.) Use the Annual Electricity Output Calculator at http://bit.ly/XToq8 to calculate the expected yearly kWh output by entering the max. rotor diameter size given to you by your local township planning office ….make a note and…..

4.) Calculate the average yearly electricity kWh consumption of your home or business.

5.) Subtract your average yearly kWh consumption from the estimated kWh generated. Is the result at least 45,000 kWh? If the answer is yes, then your site has the potential to generate extra income for you by harnessing the wind.

6.) Next step is to contact your local utility provider and ensure that ‘a net metering’ - ‘Buy Back Scheme’ is available.

7.) If yes, ask for the utility rate (¢ per KwH ) paid. The higher the utility rate is (¢ per KwH), the more economical your wind turbine system becomes.

8.) Multiply the utility rate (¢ per KwH) paid with the yearly kWh excess we have calculated earlier. This will be your estimated extra yearly income.

9.) Now if you want to go ahead - Contact your town-ship planning office and obtain a special-use permit.

10.) Contact your local environment department - ask for grants available and apply for any available grant, no matter how small it may be. Remember, every little helps.

11.) Now its time to go shopping! Go to MyWindPowerSystem’s Products page for professional & technical specialist advice on new Wind turbines with 500W, to 1Kw, 2Kw, 10Kw, 20Kw, 50Kw, 100Kw, 150Kw, 200Kw, 600Kw, 750Kw, 1Mw or even 1.5Mw power output or go to our ‘Renewable Marketplace‘  for used wind turbines, 12v converters, 24v converter, 48v, 3500w max/48v hybrid wind, 1500w modified sine wave converters, 6000w inverters, 500W, 1Kw, 2Kw, 10Kw, 20Kw, 50Kw, 100Kw, 150Kw, 200Kw, 600Kw, 750Kw, 1Mw, 1.5Mw used and second hand wind turbines, DIY wind turbines and micro wind turbines for both horizontal axis or vertical axis.

For new wind Turbines, many items within Canada and the US ship for free!

12.) Decide on a Grid-tie wind turbine package which is tailor-made to your requirements and budget.

13.) If the size of your turbine does not allow for Self-installation, decide on an ‘All In’ package from your dealer which would include construction work and installation or hire an independent project manager specialized in wind turbine installation and a local technical engineering or construction firm to work under his supervision.

Your project is completed – Go and harness the wind for a greener planet!

Your MyWindPowerSystem Team

How to sell electricity back to the grid? A detailed guide to selling electricity back to your local utility and how to make a profit with a larger sized wind turbine installed on your private land. What is the right size wind turbine and what do I need to do? We have three topics for which we receive questions nearly every day and basically the topics are always of one and the same nature:

• Selling power back to the grid
• Selling energy back to the grid
• Selling electricity back to the grid

…and we always answer that pioneering individuals and small businesses are already using wind all over the world to produce clean excess electricity and turn a profit

So how can I sell power back to the utility grid and what do I need to do?

With a correctly sized Wind Turbine and the correct inverter system, you can safely sell power back to the utility grid. The real question is can I sell power back to the utility company?

Most states in the US have net metering bills that basically say the utility company is required to buy the power back from you at the same rate you buy power from them. The states that don’t have net metering bills typically only pay the wholesale cost of the power about 1-3 cents.

So there is no general answer as to how much you will get paid for your excess electricity and it is best that you first check with your local utility company. Each single utility company has different interconnection standards that have to be met before they will allow you to sell power back to their grid. The fortunate thing about these different interconnection requirements is that modern inverters have all of the safety equipment built into them as standard components. So some of the equipment a utility company may ask you to add is already inside the inverter.

Feeding Electricity back to the Grid

“Net metering” is the simplest way to setup a grid-tie system. In such a system you only have one utility kWh meter and it is allowed to spin in either direction depending on if you are buying or selling energy. In a non net-metered system, the utility company will require that you install a second kWh meter to record any excess energy that you sell back to them. To find out if your state offers “net metering” or any other incentives for installing a renewable energy system, click on the following link (www.dsireusa.org).

Remember, a “net metering” law for your state doesn’t necessarily apply to rural electric cooperatives so give your utility company a call before going any further.

Just as ‘Smart Grids’ are being promoted by many governments, residential energy production is now being encouraged and subsidised by many states. So the next question is if you want to go ahead in becoming a private energy producer: ‘What size wind turbine and which Grid-tie inverter is right for me?

The next step is to figure out what size system will work best for you. This can be tricky because it all depends on how much energy you want the system to produce per day, what your own average KwH consumption per month is, what your utility rate is per KwH and of course how much money you want to spend on a system. Of course your location is a big factor in determining how much energy any grid-tie system will produce since everybody knows that Texas gets a lot more wind than New Mexico. The higher your utility rate is (¢ per KwH), the more economical a grid-tie system becomes since you are offsetting expensive energy that you would’ve bought from the utility company with clean free energy from the wind.

A suitable basic residential wind turbine system, providing mainly electricity to your home or small business, usually start in the 2Kw range. How exactly an On-Grid System with ‘Netmetering’ works can be seen in the short demo video below which is based on Southwest Windpower’s SkyScream ™ 3.7.

MyWindPowerSystem has a wide range of suitable Off-Grid and On-Grid Wind Turbine systems to choose from. This includes systems manufactured by our supplier in Asia which are well below the purchase price of the US manufactured SkyScream ™ 3.7 from Southwest Windpower. To see the full range of Turbine Systems available from MywindPowerSystem, click here.

Scale comparison

One of our case studies demonstrate that when your idea in investing in a wind power system has been thoroughly planned and executed, an attractive additional income can easily be generated, day in day out.

Karl Brandl, a project manager for a gas installation company in Texas, is moonlighting as a small-time energy tycoon. In his second job, he’s got the kind of extra income most business people can only dream of. His large sized 100Kw wind power generation system pays him an extra $9,000 per year on top of producing all the energy he needs to power his Houston home for free. The money comes from an emerging market in renewable energy credits (RECs), part of a program in many states where electricity suppliers that are required by law to invest in renewable energy buy tradable certificates from sources like Brandl. It’s just one way individuals and small businesses are making money off clean energy.

Small-time Energy Tycoon Karl Brandl

Brandl says that he has never made a better investment—especially with today’s unstable energy market. “I don’t think I can find any other method which can make me a return of $9,000 per year [just for having wind power], and that’s if the price of energy doesn’t go up,” says Brandl. For him, the $80,000 upfront investment in the hardware and installation he made two years ago (Texas paid the remaining $70,000 through the state’s Clean Energy Program) is worth the money he’ll be making in the long run.

While the high cost of equipment, complicated state governing rules, and inefficiencies in the installation process still won’t allow small-scale energy systems to compete directly with the established utilities, private energy production is paying off. With energy prices fluctuating and instability in many oil-producing countries, individuals and small businesses are touting the profits they’re making off their wind power systems as the wave of the future. These pioneers are finding that producing clean energy pays dividends that rival Wall Street “There is a market that’s growing, and we’re just at the front end of it,” says Pete Roman Wallis, CEO of Bromative Solutions LLC, a market-research consultancy for the wind power industry.

Karl Brandl's 100Kw Wind Turbine in residential area

ADDITIONAL INCOME WITH CREDITS FOR SALE.

Through net metering, an individual or business produces energy during the day, feeds it back into the grid, then gets credited for the amount of energy produced. Though customers can’t yet sell electricity to other customers, since they’re constrained by having to send their electricity through the existing grid, there are ways to make a profit. The most common way is through selling renewable-energy credits, which are credits clean-energy producers receive and sell to utilities so that utilities can meet their quotas for deriving energy from renewable sources.

Brokers get in touch with local energy producers and purchase the credits, then aggregate them and sell them to the larger utilities. The producers usually get between $200 and $300 for every megawatt hour of energy they generate in a given year. They’re not selling the energy itself, but instead are being rewarded for producing their energy cleanly and sustainably.

STREAMLINING 

The renewable energy credit practice will continue to grow as more and more states start to make this mandatory. By 2020, every utility will have to produce a percentage of its electricity through renewable means, says a spokesman Southwest Windpower, a producer of small-scale, consumer size, wind operated turbines. If a utility doesn’t produce as much as it’s supposed to, it will be asked to pay a fine..

Normally, the companies that buy and sell credits like to buy them in bulk, but they have been buying them from individual homeowners and small businesses because they want to have a diversity of supply.

Approximately 20% of utilities in the U.S. offer green pricing programs, by which customers can pay a low premium to purchase renewable energy. Yet, only a few focus on facilitating smaller scale, customer generated energy. Most green pricing programs use energy from larger projects, such as wind farms. Currently, the only way for individuals to sell their energy to consumers is through a program run via a utility that is designed to do so, says a policy adviser at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colo.

Wind power will definitely be the next big thing even for the small scale investor. At the end of June, Southwest Windpower introduced a new small residential wind generator, the Skystream 3.7. It’s the first fully integrated wind generator designed specifically for the grid-connected residential market, and it marks a significant step forward for tomorrow’s small wind farmers. Southwest Windpower produces 2,000 wind generators a month, 70% more than one year ago, and profits are expected to double in the next 12 month as well.

Skystream 3.7 Residential Wind Turbine

Selling power back is the future and for today’s clean energy pioneers who already sell electricity back to the utility, payback is quickly changing to paycheck

This is the MagWind from Enviro-Energies. It magnetically levitates and starts with almost no wind! Same Turbine on Ed Begley’s house. Jay has so far cut his elecrtical bill by 2/3!

Used wind Turbines and used Wind Generators from MywindPowerSystem.com. We are proud to announce the launch of the world’s first public ‘Renewable Energy Marketplace’ for new and used wind turbines, solar power systems, jobs in the wind energy sector, wind turbine spare parts and accesories, land for wind farm or solar farms.

MyWindPowerSystem’s classified ads section is dedicated to and specialized in the renewable energy sector. Your one stop shop for all your requirements to sell and buy new and used wind energy equipment from around the world. All major manufacturers can be found such as wind turbines from Micon - Vestas - GE Energy - Enercon - Suzlon - Nordex - Nordtank – Bonus – Siemens – Sinovel – Tacke – Aerostar – Hummer - WindMax, you name it, all to be found on this new and exciting classified advertising site.

Selling of looking for a used Wind Turbine? Post Your FREE Ad today!

Why buying a used Wind Power System?

If you are looking to run and operate either your own wind power generating, residential wind turbine or even plan a large scale wind farm project, consider buying used wind power equipment versus new. Commercial grade wind turbines and equipment is made to withstand years of wear and tear. Operating functionality of industrial wind turbines, when regularly maintained, can easily exceed 25+ years and it is a known fact that wind turbines have generally very low maintenace costs associated to profitable operation.

In fact, at our new Renewable Marketplace, you can save upwards 70% on some items! This allows you to invest that money elsewhere, and makes your bank, your partners or investors happy. Here is an example of the savings in used:

1.5Mw Wind Turbine System complete with Generator, Controller, Inverter, Tower & Blades.:
SAIP S-77 (used) $985,000

Competitive Price on a similar Configuration
SAIP S-77 (new) $1,900,000

Cost Savings of $915,000!!!

As you can see, there are clear cost savings to purchasing your equipment used. By using that model, you could buy 4 used wind turbines for the price of two new turbines!

SAIP S-77 1.5Mw Wind Turbine - New $1,900,000

There are some drawbacks to buying used wind power equipment though, such as expired warranties. But even factoring the price to fix a piece of equipment is still less than buying it new and many sellers offer a refurbished condition sale with an extended warranty of 1 year. You may also consider to hire your own refurbishment contractor for larger projects before starting to operate you purchased second hand wind turbines.

Vestas V90 Nacelle For Sale

So, if you do you look for a second hand, used wind turbines, refurbished wind turbines, a home wind turbine, hybrid - low-wind machines or spare parts? Have you got a plot of Land for sale or to lease for a Wind Farm project? Looking for land for sale or lease for your wind farm project? Then MyWindPowerSystem.com is your place to go for Free ads, Free Classifieds and Advertising specialized in the Renewable Energy and alternative energy sector. The traffic to our site is highly targeted and mainly visitors specifically looking to either buy or sell used wind turbines products will look in one of our dedicated categories. The Categories available in our listings are as follows:

• OFFERED
o DIY Wind Turbines
o Residential Wind Turbines
o Industrial Wind turbines
o Micro Turbines
o Solar Power
o Spare Parts – Solar Power
o Spare Parts – Wind Power
o Accessories – Solar Power
o Accessories – Wind Power
o Jobs
o Plot Of Land

• WANTED
o DIY Wind Turbines
o Residential Wind Turbines
o Industrial Wind turbines
o Micro Turbines
o Solar Power
o Spare Parts – Solar Power
o Spare Parts – Wind Power
o Accessories – Solar Power
o Accessories – Wind Power
o Jobs
o Plot Of Land

Dismantling of used wind generator

As many of the wind turbines listed are second hand and used wind turbines or wind mills, you will find many sales prices very attractive, and that counts for both, buyers and sellers.

You can find bargains for 12v converters, 24v converter, 48v, 3500w max/48v hybrid wind, 1500w modified sine wave converters, 6000w inverters, 500W, 1Kw, 2Kw, 10Kw, 20Kw, 50Kw, 100Kw, 150Kw, 200Kw, 600Kw, 750Kw, 1Mw, 1.5Mw wind turbines and even DIY wind turbines and micro wind turbines for both horizontal axis or vertical axis.

You can even find a category to place your advert for a magnetic levitating train kit, second hand rotor blades, magnet and ceramic magnets, wind turbines w/1000w inverters, or even your used turbine blades from unused 3 blades or 5 blades systems.

500W Inverter - Used

MyWindPowersystem has now by public demand added two new categories for Wanted and Offered Wind Power Spare Parts and Solar Power Spare Parts.

Most adverts have extensive information listed within the product for sale such as power output and power curve diagrams, home wind speed calculation formulas and turbine recipes.

We are still awaiting adverts to be placed by Southwest Windpower, The Amercian Wind Energy Association or other companies such as Segen or Bergey but we are confident that it will not be long before we see advertisers of this calibre to post their used wind turbine equipment on MyWindTurbineSystem’s Renewable Marketplace.

Used Grid-Tie Controller 50Kw

Don’t miss out on a great deal - Post your FREE ADVERT today!