Average Wind Speed Where You Live

When researching to find out if installing a home wind turbine or home wind generator will work out for you I found this excerpt at the top of a website that sells the wind generators and towers for you to construct one on your property:


Wind Generators and Generator Accessories

DOE Says 20% Wind Energy is Feasible by 2024

The US Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) released the Eastern Wind Integration and Transmission Study (EWITS), which is a two-and-a-half year technical study that examines high-penetration wind scenarios of the future. The Eastern Wind Integration and Transmission Study was designed to analyze the operational, technical and economic implications of moving Eastern Interconnection’s electrical load amounting to 20% or more to wind energy by the year 2024.

David Corbus, NREL Project Manager for the study, remarked that the study suggests many scenarios to achieve 20 percent wind, which indeed is a challenging goal. Corbus suggested that any possible scenario will need transmission infrastructure upgrades and that the company should begin its appropriate planning procedures to meet this requirement. Corbus remarked that the company can bring in an increasing amount of wind power online with the usage of proper infrastructure to move the power around.

Operational best practices were identified by this study which also examined transmission options, wind resources and future wind deployment scenarios. This study reveals that the integration of 20 percent wind energy is technically practicable but it will be realized only if the system operational changes and the transmission infrastructure are expanded. The absence of transmission enhancements will require a significant curtailment of wind generation for all the 20 percent wind scenarios that have been analyzed.

Only a small portion of the entire annualized cost in any of the examined scenarios is represented by the relative cost of expanding the existing transmission grid. Wind energy becomes a more reliable energy source and less expensive when it is drawn from a larger geographic area. The gathered wind power output becomes less variable and more predictable when the geographic diversity of wind power projects increase in a given operating pool.

Development of wind energy is an inexpensive way to reduce carbon emissions. Less energy from fossil-fuel burning plants is required as an increasing amount of wind energy comes online. This in turn reduces the emissions of greenhouse gases.

Source: http://www.nrel.gov/

many geographical areas have very low wind speeds.

How much wind is required before a Wind Energy System can begin to operate?
Startup speed is CRITICAL !


Less than 5 miles per hour (low wind speed startup)!
Most three bladed wind turbines that we have checked out were over 20 mph startup speed.
When considering the $(price) per MW hour, and if our wind power is turning while their's is just sitting there not moving, that can be a very big consideration.
Low wind speed startup is an integral part of a Wind Powered Generator design.

Rockport Maine Offshore Wind Power

Wind power concerns many

Residents say plans are moving too fast

By Abigail Curtis
BDN Staff

ROCKPORT, Maine — Offshore wind power may have the capacity to help the state free itself from its dependence on foreign oil, but plenty of Mainers have concerns as well as hopes about its potential.

More than 70 people gathered Tuesday night at the Samoset Resort for the last in a series of information sessions about several proposed test sites for offshore wind power generation held throughout September along the Maine coast. Many of them, including Margaret Schuler of Edgecomb, shared their opinions with a panel of experts from the University of Maine, the state Environmental Protection Agency, the Marine Resources and Conservation departments and the state geologist.

“Why would we lay waste to some of our best and most beautiful areas for a test site?” she asked.

After a legislative mandate, the state has identified seven areas as possible demonstration sites for testing wind power equipment. All are located in state-controlled waters, less than three miles off the coast, and have waters more than 200 feet deep.

Wind speeds are higher farther offshore, panelists said, and 200 feet is as deep as fixed-based turbines can be.

The proposed sites are located off Metinic Island, Matinicus, Monhegan, Isle au Haut, Cutler, Jonesport, Damariscove Island and Boon Island. Damariscove is off Boothbay Harbor in Lincoln County, and Boon Island is off Cape Neddick in York County.

By mid-October, the state will publish a draft list of as many as five demonstration areas along the coast, and the final decision of where to construct one or more is expected to be made in mid-December.

The panel of experts explained to the sometimes skeptical crowd that the turbine test sites would be financed, maintained and ultimately removed by private companies, and that each would contain no more than two demonstration turbines. They also tried to alleviate concerns that the benefits of wind power ultimately might bypass the state — enriching corporations, altering the landscape and possibly endangering wildlife.

“Once the turbines are up, the price of fuel is zero,” said panelist Beth Nagusky, director of the Office of Innovation and Assistance at the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. “[Wind power] gets us away from the volatility of the market.”

Smaller-scale prototype floating turbines could be in place as soon as the spring of 2011, said panelist Jake Ward of the University of Maine.

Participants expressed worries about interference with lobster fishing, the effect on seabirds, whales, fish and butterflies, the impact on Maine’s dark night skies and damage to the scenic nature of the coast. Several people seemed concerned that the state is moving too quickly as it prepares to construct the test sites.

“We do have quite a large database about these areas,” Kathleen Lyden of the Maine State Planning Office said in response. “It’s not that we’re operating without information.”

Ward said many university studies of the Gulf of Maine have been completed over the last 30 years, and that the test sites will provide an opportunity to do “a lot more analysis” of the area.

Elizabeth Dickerson, a Rockland city councilor, wondered how many jobs would be created through the test site construction process.

Ward told her that there likely would be “dozens” of jobs related to any test site, and “thousands” related to any wind energy project.

“There will be about 16 jobs per $1 million invested,” Ward said.

Jim Mays of Rockport shared his opinion that time and money would be better spent on gathering wind and wave data about 20 miles offshore, where the “real wind” is.

“Knowing the exact wind climate out there is extremely important, so designers won’t overbuild and they won’t underbuild,” he said. “It’s the first step in what I hope will be responsible development of our wind resource.”

Lobsterman Ryan Post, who fishes near Metinic Island, said that while he sees development of offshore wind power as a “great opportunity,” lobstermen affected by barges and construction in their fishing grounds have to be compensated.

“If you bring in four or five tugs through thousands of lobster traps, it’s going to be devastating. Lobstermen are being pushed aside here,” he said.

But Diane Messer of Liberty aimed to put concerns into perspective.

“We don’t have to have a really distant memory to think back to last winter,” she said. “You can be certain that the price of fuel will go back up again, significantly. And we’re going to be a lot more interested in wind. Let’s get started, let’s get the process going, and let’s stay involved.”

Source: Bangor Daily News

Found Article on Twitter.

American Wind Energy Association “predicts huge growth”

The Union of Concerned Scientists estimates that a 20 percent renewable energy requirement by 2020 would generate 355,000 new jobs and save consumers $49.1 billion on their electricity and natural gas bills, according to The PEW Environmental Group.

Renewable energy is expected to generate 16 gigawatts per year by 2020. One wind turbine equals 1.5 megawatts and 1 megawatt is one-one thousandth of a gigawatt.

The American Wind Energy Association “predicts huge growth” based largely on those figures. “There are several wind farms planned (in West Virginia and?Pennsylvania). Building the stuff near where you’re going to use it” is common sense.

North Carolina State Senate Votes to Kill Wind Turbines

The North Carolina State Senate has voted overwhelmingly to ban large wind turbines from the state’s scenic western ridgelines.

The 42-1 vote on Thursday represents the strongest stand against wind turbines taken by lawmakers in any state. The bill would amend a 1983 “ridge law” to allow only turbines that are 100 feet or smaller to be placed on ridgelines above 3,000 feet. This effectively bars industrial-sized turbines — which can reach several hundred feet in height — from the windy mountaintops.
read more...

North Carolina Moves to Limit Wind Projects - Green Inc. Blog ...

By By Kate Galbraith

In what may be the strongest stand against wind turbines by state lawmakers anywhere, the North Carolina Senate has voted overwhelmingly to ban large wind turbines from the state's scenic western ridgelines.

Green Inc. - http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/

www.windaction.org | North Carolina moves to limit wind projects

By Industrial Wind Action Group

The North Carolina Senate voted overwhelmingly to ban large turbines from the state's ridgelines. The North Carolina State Senate has voted overwhelmingly to ban large wind turbines from the state's scenic western ridgelines.

www.windaction.org | Latest Posts Feed - http://www.windaction.org/

Small Wind Turbine with Kitchen Appliance

Small Wind Turbine With A Blender Motor (VIDEO)

diggstumbleredditdel.ico.us

Seattle Times | Dave Burdick | March 11, 2009 08:04 AM

Wind-powering one's home typically means one of two things: buying into a pool of money that offsets the cost of running a wind farm -- that is to say, buying electrons that are probably generated by conventional means and blindly subsidizing the work required to build or run wind projects, which will (probably) feed "clean" electrons into the grid elsewhere -- or planting a huge, expensive and sometimes loud wind turbine on your property.

One entry in a Google-run contest would like to change that, according to the Seattle Times:

Imagine walking into a big-box retail store and grabbing a wind turbine off the shelf.

"For me, so many of these [wind] systems just aren't practical," Maglaque said, referring to expenses and inspections needed to install other wind devices. "I should be able to go down to Costco and pick one up by a big jar of mayonnaise."

I posted this here because I found the comments on this post to be very interesting:
The opposition to changing the status quo is, in my mind, ridiculous.

I can imagine the powers that be in the oil industry, or anyone with a financial interest in keeping the US on the oil powered path would do anything to discredit or spread disinformation

Go to Huffington Post to see the opposition to this small wind energy idea here.

Why is it most of the Wind Turbines one sees are the gigantic 3 bladed monstrosities?

Did you know there were smaller, possibly more efficient alternatives?

Contact Wind Energy at windenergy@reasonablepower.com

Wind Turbine Owners Sell Energy Credits

Credits offer wind power without backyard turbine

Associated Press

CLARKS LANDING (AP) — Maryland residents who lack the wind, the will or the wherewithal to put wind turbines in their backyard can still buy green power, often in a more convenient way and at a lower cost.

Clean Currents, based in Rockville, has been offering green power — defined as renewable energy credits and green electricity — for three years and it’s become cheaper than regular utility rates.

“Usually renewable energy requires an upfront investment, but we’re in a unique situation where you can choose green power and save money at the same time,” said Gary Skulnik, Clean Currents’ president. “It almost never happens.”

That unique situation came about because of cheaper wholesale energy prices that Clean Currents and other companies have used to their advantage because many utility companies haven’t dropped rates to reflect the change in wholesale costs.

Clean Currents sells credits to about 3,000 Maryland homes within BGE and Pepco service areas and D.C. residents can also buy credits from Pepco. Those rates are still slightly higher than regular rates.

Carlos Fernandez-Bueno has sold wind turbines to residential customers, such as Ken Robinson and Sheryll Elliott of Clarks Landing, for installation in their backyard. But he said renewable energy credits are a good option for most people.

Robinson wanted to provide his own electricity so he could be satisfied he wasn’t contributing to pollution from a power plant across Cuckold Creek from his house. In winter time, his wind turbine provides more power than he uses and Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative pays him for what his wind turnbine’s generated.

“I’m jealous,” said Julie Klingenstein, a neighbor of Robinson’s. “Maybe they’ll share some of their electricity with all that money they’re saving.”

Fernandez-Bueno didn’t sell any wind turbines in Maryland in 2008 despite selling 85 around the country. Robinson’s installation of a wind turbine took 18 months because the zoning board didn’t have a proper form to apply for a permit to build a windmill in Charles County.

Pepco spokesman Robert Dobkin did warn customers that some renewable energy companies struggle to stay afloat and have to cut or reduce programs.

The Mid-Atlantic grid receives the wind power from turbines in Texas and other states. Skulnik said the number of people signing up for green power has grown significantly from last year.

“There’s no cost to you, you don’t have to install any equipment and it takes less than five minutes on a Web site,” Skulnik said. “There’s no excuse not to do it.”

From http://www.times-news.com/local/local_story_179225611.html

Why is it most of the Wind Turbines one sees are the gigantic 3 bladed monstrosities?

Did you know there were smaller, possibly more efficient alternatives?

Contact Wind Energy at windenergy@reasonablepower.com