I have an engineering consulting practice and live in a state that is in America’s wind corridor (Colorado) so sometimes people ask me about wind farm leases and whether their land might be suitable for the construction of wind turbines. In order to be a desirable site for wind development, your land needs to be …
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How to Measure Wind Speed
For the purchase of a wind turbine to be economically feasible, a minimum wind speed of 4 m/s (9 km/h) is necessary. Though advances in wind turbine technology have created exceptions to the rule (see Top 5 Wind Turbines for Low Speed Wind Conditions) the fact remains that wind turbine output is based on the …
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How to Pick the Right Wind Turbine for Your Property
Wind turbine technology has become more efficient and affordable in recent years and a whole mess of new models has flooded the market. With so many options available, the purchasing decision can be daunting. This article identifies and defines the characteristics that will help you pick the right wind turbine for your situation. Once you’ve …
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Small Scale Wind Power Primer: Market, Economics, Choosing Turbines
So called small wind has grown to become quite a success story in the USA in recent years. So called because it involves the use of small-scale horizontal and vertical axis wind turbines with generating capacities of 100 kilowatts (kW) or less, the US market for small wind turbines isn’t exactly small anymore. Total installed …
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Ultracapacitors are Revolutionizing Wind Power
Wind power holds tremendous potential as a renewable energy source, but until recently we have only been able to tap into a small fraction of what’s available. Recent technological breakthroughs in ultracapacitors, however, have revolutionized wind power, making turbines considerably more efficient and less costly to maintain. The strength and intensity of wind fluctuates dramatically …
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Top 5 Wind Turbines for Low Speed Wind Conditions
So you live in a wind-poor “class 1″ neighborhood, but still want to get a wind turbine. If moving to a resource-rich “class 7″ community isn’t in your future plans, you can still find a wind turbine that will work for you, in even the lowest wind speeds. The first thing you need to know …
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China is the Best Friend for Consumers of Solar and Wind Power, Globally
Oddly enough, the protectionist policies of the Chinese government are doing more to lower wind and solar power prices for consumers around the world than those of their own respective countries. China has targeted both wind and solar power as future growth areas. This is due to a variety of factors: China has to import …
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Benefits and Overview of Wind Power
Clean energy is the future, be it solar power, biomass or wind power. Each of these alternatives come from the sun interacting with our planet’s physical makeup and each provides a set of distinct advantages. Efficiency, duration and return on investment are the real drivers for how we choose to harvest alternative energy. That said, …
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Arizona Wind Power Incentives
Wind energy-related legislation and loan programs in Arizona According to A.R.S. §43-1085 enacted in January 2006, tax credit can be applied to corporate or personal taxes which are equal to 10% of the original installation cost of the energy system. The taxable years began in the year of 2006 and it’s valid up to 2012. …
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Florida Wind Rebates
Wind energy-related legislation and loan programs in Florida According to 25-6.065, F.A.C. enacted in March of 2008, the Florida Public Service Commission (PCS) started net metering and interconnection for all renewable energy systems with a capacity of 2 MW. The PSC is entitled to set all rules and regulation for this net metering policy. This …
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Connecticut Wind Power Incentives
Wind energy related legislation in Connecticut According to Conn. Gen. Stat. § 16-243h enacted in January of 1998, the State’s two utilities, United Illuminating Company (UI) and Connecticut Light and Power Company (CL&P), provide net metering options to commercial and residential customers. According to this Electric Restructuring Act all qualified customers must have electrical generators …
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Colorado Wind Energy
Renewable energy related legislation and loan programs in Colorado According to the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) of November 2004, an amendment was passed in Colorado requiring every utility user with 40,000 or more customers to purchase electricity from renewable sources. Additionally the state government is considering various incentives, net metering etc. to promote the use …
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Sailboat Made from Recycled Plastic Bottles – The Plastiki
The Plastiki is a unique sailing vessel, you’ve probably never seen anything quite like it, or maybe you have? Much like the Maltese Falcon in the way it uses recycled parts, the Plastiki is made completely from reclaimed plastic bottles and other recycled materials. At the time of this writing it was parked at San …
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Wind Power Checklist, Generating Energy with Wind
With wind turbine technology improving rapidly in recent years, wind energy has grown into a viable, cost-competitive energy resource that has attracted consumer interest like never before. Wind farms are now seen both onshore and offshore as companies realize the profit that can be made in selling wind-generated power. Governments and utilities are increasingly turning …
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Wind Turbines Attack xkcd
Anyone with a sense of humor (and history) who is also interested in wind power should be able to appreciate this recent sketch from XKCD available at xkcd. If you’ve never seen xkcd before, consider spending a half hour flipping through the stories there. The founder, Randall Patrick Munroe, is from Somerville Massachusetts and is …
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Getting Hired for Wind Jobs
The wind energy industry is one of the fastest growing segment of renewable energy production in the United States. In this country there are clusters of clean tech innovation centers exploring solar, biomass, and other technology but those jobs are very location specific… The Bay area is a leader on this front for example. With …
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Yes We Can… Wind Stocks
Under the Obama administration alternative energy in the United States has become increasingly important, and invested in. Obama has outlined plans to increase US clean energy production from 3% (where it currently stands, minus hydroelectric) to 10% by 2012 and 25% by 2025. What this means is that more and more home owners, businesses, and …
The Maltese Falcon, one of the world’s largest privately owned sailing yachts, arrived in San Francisco Bay on September 27, 2008 to take part in October’s Leukemia Cup Fundraiser, marking the first time the record-setting, award-winning clipper ship has sailed into US territory. The ship is enormous in every measurable dimension. At 289 feet in …
If you’ve been keeping up with my other posts you’ll know that my father Kent Britain is using money from shale oil that was discovered on his land in Texas to invest in wind power. In this process we have explored many options including the construction and production of industrial sized wind turbines. For anyone …
If you’ve ever wondered how massive industrial grade wind turbines are created and shipped then you’re in luck, read on! In this brief article we’ll explore the blades made at the Molded Fiber Glass Company in Texas. These specific blades are made of fiberglass and shaped similar to an aircraft wing to harness wind energy …
