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There are 5kw home wind turbines. They cost over 10k though. There are even 10kw systems as well. A number of these turbines are inaudible even just at just a few feet away.
Also there are vertical wind turbines. Google Windspire Wind Turbine.
There's no question that well-sited commercial scale wind turbines can be productive, clean, and a good investment. The question is whether an individual residential sized wind turbine can be cost effective, and I believe that the answer is no. There are economies of scale with this kind of equipment that just don't fall into a practical range at present until they are much larger than a 1 kW home unit.
There are economies of scale in all mechanical devices. a 1.5 MW turbine is always going to have a unit cost less than a !.5 kW machine. Large wind > small wind.
I saw a wind turbine design years ago that looked almost like the top of an ice cream cone that is supposed to work well in inconsistent wind. One reason is that the turbine part is suspended on magnets and the shape lets the turbine catch wind from any direction. So shifting winds can be used for electricity.
I guess these were not as successful or cost prohibitive, since I don't see any around.
The other vertical wind turbines I wonder about as well. Problem is that not too many of us small consumers are going to spend $5k - $10k to test it out.
"I guess these were not as successful or cost prohibitive, since I don't see any around."
No I think that just many people don't know that they exist.
VAWT research is still ongoing but shows they are produce more power and require far less land then HAWT turbines. So for wind farms you take up far less space. HAWT turbines have been around a long time so there are a lot more manufacturers who tend to be established companies like multinational corps like GE. VAWT turbines on the other hand are a newer thing so far fewer manufacturers who tend to be brand new tech startups. Meaning a lot less retail space and ad power etc.
Interesting that the articles you linked are from 2011... Was hoping there would be more about the "newer" VAWT systems. And even with the smaller footprint there would be more residential options.
On Edit: I found a company called tangarie that makes VAWT, but even in the FAQs they won't give you an answer on even what the equipment costs. I understand that each install is different and paybacks can vary wildly, but how much does the darn thing cost? Keeping in mind the "best" unit will produces 5785 KWH a YEAR at that is assuming a 15 mph average wind speed. 5785 X .15 = $867.75 a year. Now in OpenD's case X .45 per KWH = $2603.25 per year payback.
I like 5-8yr paybacks. In this case really a 5yr since that is when the warranty runs out even though it is "designed" to run for 30 years.
Wind Lotus*-*Leviathan Energy that one says paid back in 3-8 years also lists the required wind speeds and 15-20 year life expectancy. No mention what the warranty is.
VAWT research is still ongoing but shows they are produce more power and require far less land then HAWT turbines.
We have other threads that deal with wind farms. This thread is about a single wind turbine for residential use, and I'm afraid the links you posted are to Vertical Axis Wind Turbines (VAWT) which are not very efficient when used alone, per their information. It is only when they are clustered in the specified configurations that their efficiency rises.
Here's an article about some VAWT powered streetlights that were installed at San Francisco's Civic Center. The rotors seem to me to be of a physical size that would be acceptable for home installation. Unfortunately when I went to check them out while in the area last spring only one was turning, even in a fairly stiff breeze. And the power rating on each is only 600 watts, so they don't have a lot of utility for residential use IMO.
OpenD - What's your opinion on VAWT for residential use? Still not quite there? At least that is what I have been finding out.
D - Keep the links and debate going. I appreciate it. I haven't dismissed VAWTs - I just haven't found any that are cost effective or marketed for residential use like HAWTs are, yet. Even some (older) Websites I have read, say that VAWTs time is not yet here for home use and that there is still work to be done. However, I like the small footprint and theory of a VAWT for residential use.
Well there are VAWTs for home usage and manufacturers that make them. The website I listed had a few of them. Problem is a few of them have gone under so you have to check each of the links and research of the each companies and the products. Like I said VAWTs are a whole new thing supported by small new venture companies which is incredibly risky but huge reward if they pay off. HAWTs are old tech supported by huge established multicorps.
I am an appraiser and actually had the opportunity to run the figures on these mini-turbines. Texas has some of the highest electric rates in the nation thanks to deregulation. Ran the costs vs return, etc. The return on cost over the life of the turbine, even figuring an increase in electric costs did not show a 50% return on costs. That is, the return on electric savings was at most 50% of the cost.
Same with solar. A gentleman here installed solar panels on his home, fully solar. 3000 SF, cost was $60,000. He will not recoup the cost within the life of the panels, let alone his remaining life expectancy.
No, no, no...
Deregulation actually did very, very little to influence retail electric prices in Texas. Yes, there was that little blip when prices sky rocketed due to historic natural gas prices, but that was unavoidable. Since the commodity prices have returned to their approximate historic equilibrium, inflation explains the marginal difference between retail electric prices in Texas before and after deregulation.
Electricity is expensive in Texas because Texas burns very little coal for power, which is what makes power cheap. The preponderance of Texas power comes from natural gas fired plants.
As far as the installed cost of a PV array is concerned, I agree that the unsubsidized cost has a long way to go before it makes sense from purely an economic standpoint. If it made economic sense, it would be proliferating like crazy. Of course, there is the value associated with the environmental friendliness of a solar home which is difficult to quantify but easy to understand. The investment characteristics may not be that important to the gentleman that you are speaking of.
Of course, a PV array is not exactly rocket science either. Someone with even a fairly basic understanding of how it works and how to put it together can roll their own and MAY even be able to get under $0.10/watt.
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