The Honeywell Wind Turbine needs only 33 feet of above ground clearance and just a claimed one half mile per hour wind to start up.  If that proves out in the real world Canada’s WindTronics, Inc. would have a sure hit on its hands.

The company says its turbine has “higher performance output and lower installed cost per kilowatt than any other unit on the market today in class and size.”  The Honeywell Wind Turbine is a gearless wind turbine that measures just 6 feet in diameter, weighs 185 lbs (84kgs) and is able to produce 2752 kWh/yr in Class 4 winds.   The power magnets that flow the electrons are at the outer tips of the blade wheel and inside the shroud around the blade set.

Honeywell’s Turbine Comparison.

The Honeywell Wind Turbine’s multi-stage blades allow the system to react quickly to changes in wind speed, ensuring that the maximum wind energy is captured, without the typical noise and vibration associated with traditional wind turbines. It is designed to be installed where power is consumed, allowing home and business owners to harness wind energy in a cost effective and efficient manner.

Class 4 wind is a very large part of North American making a quite large geographical sales area.  The potential is for a volume sales number that coud\ld well drive down the production costs for even more affordability.  And 2700+ kWh a year is worth some effort.

WindTronics decided in 2009 to manufacture the machines in Windsor, Ontario, which has been battered by the auto crisis and recession and suffered from huge unemployment. In that context it was a good-news story because the Michigan-based parent company, EarthTronics, said the facility it was taking over was a former Magna International auto parts plant where 200 new jobs would be created.

The company web site says that the turbine’s installed cost is about half the cost of a traditional small wind turbine. It sells as part of a package that includes a computerized smart box, the inverter and an interconnect switch for wiring the system into a household panel. The MRSP is $6,495US, what Canadian pricing is – isn’t announced. Also not certain is what the installed cost would be, which is important if you want to compare it to, say, putting solar panels on your roof.

From an economics point of view small wind is very hard to justify.  2,700 kWh at say $0.10 isn’t going to get you very far – $270 against perhaps as much as $10,000 up front.  But for sites with need, or little solar potential, expensive grid access and situations where the net meter rate is very good the numbers can change for the better.  That and having one puts surety in service, way out at the end of a rural phase line, weather makes power matter of some concern.

For the money though, and with essentially no volume to start pricing or drive to lower production costs, the Honeywell is a powerful contender.
The other point that many reviewers overlook is the generation parts out in the shroud aren’t moving, nor is the mass moving, nor is the whole airfoil set heavily built to support it all.

That one half mile per hour start speed could have impressive returns as wind class locations of better speeds and more total annual wind time get installations.  At Class 6 and running twice as long the Honeywell is b\going to look much different economically.

If you’re thinking of getting a small wind turbine the Honeywell is a must consider item.

If the WindTronics designs can last as long as the old Aeromotor windmills of old – decades on end, then the Honeywell is a small wind turbine turning point.

By. Brian Westenhaus

CBC News

The Honeywell wind turbine is designed for the roofs of homes and small commercial or agricultural operations. (WindTronics)The Honeywell Wind Turbine measures 1.8 meters across and weighs 84 kg. It can begin producing power at wind speeds of three km/h.

A Canadian-made turbine designed to fit on roofs and help power homes and small businesses will go on sale in December.

It is being manufactured at a new factory in Windsor, Ont.

Reg Adams, president of manufacturer WindTronics, told CBC News the turbines will appeal to commercial and agricultural operations, as well as homeowners who are environmentally conscious, or need emergency backup power.

“We are complete emergency home standby systems,” he said in an interview. “It’s like the replacement of a home standby generator. We can build a battery support, and if the power outage is because of a storm, it will have wind. If not, we have charged batteries.”

Each turbine comes with a computerized smart box and inverter that will allow the unit to feed directly into the ac power system of a home or business, or feed the energy back into the electricity grid.

‘The Honeywell turbine makes wind technology affordable and accessible.’—Reg Adams, WindTronics

The design is intended to maximize power output while minimizing noise and vibration. The unit differs from industrial wind turbines in that it looks more like a fan than windmill and generates power through the tips of the blades rather than turning a generator.

“The Honeywell turbine makes wind technology affordable and accessible to the vast majority of Canadian homeowners, who have great wind resources,” said Adams.

24 years to payback

When its installed in an area with high winds, the turbine can produce up to 2,700 kilowatt hours a year. Based on Ontario’s peak power rate of 9.9 cents per kWh, a turbine could save $272 in power costs each year.

However, at a cost of $6,500, with an additional $3,000 for installation, it would take 24 years for it to pay for itself.

Adams says the company is currently negotiating with the Ontario government to have the turbines included in the Feed-in Tariff Program, which pays a premium for green-power energy.

He said if the Ontario government agrees to pay 50 to 55 cents per kilowatt-hour, it will make the turbines far more appealing to everyday homeowners.

If Ontario residents were able to feed power back into the grid under such an arrangement, the turbine would earn about $1,500 per year and be paid for in 4½ years.

The turbines will be sold at Home Depot and other major retailers across Canada.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2010/10/27/con-turbine.html#ixzz14tV2BpbF

By Vicki Terwilliger (staff writer vicki-t@citizenstandard.com)
Published: October 31, 2010

Some Schuylkill County homeowners are giving their neighbors something to talk about.

As a partner and installer with Control Alt Energy, Auburn, Andy Wollyung said he’s seen inquiries about solar and alternative energy sources soar among local residents. Often, referral is by word-of-mouth.

“We’re still seeing a growing number of people interested. It’s the talk of the town. People say, ‘I’ve seen this installed,’ and it strikes a big interest in a lot of people’s eyes,” Wollyung said.

Two Barry Township families have had their alternative electricity systems in place and say they’re happy with the investments and savings. Ted and Marie Reinoehl and Mike and Karen Wasilus, all of the Ashland area, shared details about their experiences.

The state’s decision to remove the rate caps on what electric companies can charge is what prompted Mike Wasilus to start looking into alternative energy.

“I was looking to get ahead of the rate cap removal. I contacted Control Alt Energy and things took off from there. We started with the solar/thermal water heat, then the wind turbine and finally the solar panels.”

“Also, the federal and state tax credit and rebate programs played a major role in our decision-making. Without those programs, the projects would not have been good business decisions,” Wasilus said.

Their home is heated and cooled by a heat pump and is entirely electric.

The ground-mounted solar/thermal water heater, a Sunda brand system, was installed in September 2008. It immediately cut 15 to 20 percent from their electric usage, they said.

The Skystream Wind Turbine made by Southwest Windpower was installed in March 2009.

“It has had less of an impact on our electricity savings. I’d say about 10 percent savings,” Wasilus said.

Sharp brand solar photovoltaic PV panels were installed on the rooftop with a Fronius inverter in October 2009.

“They are awesome and have had the biggest impact on our electricity savings. They easily cut 30 to 40 percent from our electric usage. For comparison’s sake, the solar panels have been installed six months less than the wind turbine, yet the solar panels have already surpassed the amount of electricity generated by the wind turbine by 75 percent.”

“Knowing what I know now, I would double the capacity of the solar panel system and bypass putting up the wind turbine,” he said.

Wasilus said he doesn’t regret installing the wind turbine, it just may take a bit longer to recoup his initial investment.

The initial investment cost for all systems, he said, was offset by the federal tax credits offered, at about 30 percent. The solar-panel cost was also offset by the state’s Sunshine program that offered about a 30 percent rebate on the installed cost of the system.

“The payback period is a tough question to answer, because the tax credits and rebates are constantly changing. For me, both solar projects will have a much faster payback than the wind project. I’m looking at about eight years on the payback for the solar projects and probably at least 12 years on the wind project. As far as savings, I would say as a percentage, I’m saving about 60 percent off my electricity bill with these projects. Obviously, for someone who has other forms of heating or cooling, the saving percentage would be much greater,” Wasilus said.

The kilowatt hours generated by the PV panels in almost a year were 4,100 KWH, Wasilus said, and the wind turbine generated 2,100 KWH in a year and a half.

The Reinoehls, meanwhile, had their solar array panels installed in October 2009 by Maximus Solar, Sacramento. There are 33 panels on the south-facing roof of their 3,200-square-foot home.

“We were trying to look into the future,” Ted Reinoehl said. “We figured electric rates would go up and deregulation was happening, and we were getting closer to retirement and were looking for ways to save money down the road.”

Their home is also an electric-run house. They initially installed a geothermal system, with tubing running beneath their yard, when the home was built 19 years ago.

Over the past 11 months, Reinoehl said they’ve saved about $1,200 in electricity costs.

On average, if the sun is out, the solar panels generate about 40 KWH per day, according to Ted Reinoehl. In checking his records, their panels did generate less kilowatts during the winter and more in the spring and summer months. By comparison, there was 397 KWH generated in the month of November, 64 KWH in December, 400 KWH in January and 1,200 KWH in March.

“I’m so glad we did this, and there were incentives to do so.” Marie Reinoehl said. With five adults living in the home, the system provides the electricity needed to heat and cool the home and for daily usage.

“One of the biggest holdbacks is the initial costs, which can make it prohibitive,” said Ted Reinoehl. “I feel confident within a five-year period of time, it’s paid for.”

There are no signs that homeowners are growing complacent about environmental concerns and there is still a lot of interest in green DIY improvements.

This is the view of Matt Hunt, a spokesman for renewable energy firm BritishEco, who said the prospect of saving money is always a popular reason to improve energy efficiency in the home.

His comments come after a report from the Energy Saving Trust found that 61 per cent of consumers are more interested in taking steps to save energy than they were a year ago.

Seven out of ten respondents said they hate the idea that they are wasting energy, while three-quarters said they were actively looking for ways to reduce their gas and electricity bills.

Mr Hunt said his company, which designs and installs a range of micro renewable energy solutions, including solar panels, is busy at the moment, suggesting that the need for greener homes has not diminished.

“There is still a desire from people to make their houses environmentally sound, especially if they are rewarded with fixed tariffs and things,” he remarked.

By Networx.comFri, Sep 17 2010 at 11:27 AM ES

Efficiency, safety and neighbors are key issues for wind power siting.

NOT RECOMMENDED: A roof-mounted residential turbine. (Photo: tswind/Flickr)

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Wind turbines collect kinetic energy from the wind and convert it to electricity that is compatible with the electrical system of a home or business.

Cascade Renewable Energy has distributed and marketed the SWIFT Wind Turbine in North America for residential, community and commercial customers since 2008. According to Jessica Lehti, senior sales and marketing manager, “The cut-in speed of the SWIFT product is 8 mph, and it is rated as 1.0 kW at 11 m/s, which is the industry standard for rating a turbine. The cut-in speed indicates the point at which the turbine begins generating electricity. SWIFT Wind Turbines are grid-tied, so once the product is installed, power will always come from their wind generated electricity first, and the rest of the power they may need will come from the user’s regular utility source.”

Lehti said that unique aspects of the SWIFT include: a quiet design suitable for urban, suburban and rural areas; flexible mounting options – they are structure and pole mountable; an outer diffuser ring that reduces noise created from the wind traveling along the blades, which increases efficiency and reduces vibration; dual fins that direct the turbine 360 degrees, keep the turbine positioned into the wind and provide over-speed protection; a grid-connected unit that offers efficient and autonomous operation without the use of battery storage; and a renewable source of on-site energy.

“Specifically, SWIFT Wind Turbines offer a small, quiet, structure-mountable option for residential home owners and commercial businesses with limited land resources. SWIFT does not require large amounts of acreage for installation because it can be mounted directly to a building. The small design – the rotor is seven feet in diameter – allows users to install multiple units for additional energy savings, and our product also provides an opportunity for LEED credits for green building,” Lehti noted.

Wind Turbine Industries Corp. (WTIC) manufactures the Jacobs 31-20. Chad Palmer, marketing manager, explained that the Jacobs “is a 20 kW system, rated at 26 mph. The height options offered for this product range from 80 to 140 feet and the Jacobs is available with a freestanding lattice or monopole tower. Our system’s unique design has been field-tested for well over one quarter century and it has proven to be one of the most effective and reliable small wind systems available to date.”

WTIC has manufactured the Jacobs 31-20 at their location in Minnesota since 1986. “We sell approximately 70 to 100 units annually, with room for growth. Our system tends to be most appropriate for rural applications, both commercial and residential. One of the greatest challenges in serving these groups involves the inconsistent zoning regulations among them, but we’ve been able to navigate those challenges quite well,” Palmer said.

Qua Le is vice president of sales and business development at Xzeres Wind Corp. Members of the firm design, develop, manufacture, sell and support small wind power systems. “Our products include 2.5 kW and 10 kW systems. Each system includes a wind turbine, power electronics, towers and ancillary components for complete installation. Our products feature a highly-efficient design with few moving parts for easy installation, and reduced service and maintenance costs.

“The superior performance of our products is validated by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Xzeres products are reliable – over 100 systems have been deployed in North America and carry a 10 year warranty. The durability turbine system provides 20+ years life. We offer a proven track record and the lowest cost of ownership, compared to similar products in the market today,” Le reported. He expects to sell over 80 wind power systems this year and 300 systems in 2011. “We plan to take advantage of federal, state and local incentives, American utility rebate programs and feed-in-tariff incentive programs across the globe.”

He noted that despite strong market potential – due to incentives and robust utility policies – local permitting challenges have throttled market potential. However, several key states have recently worked together in enacting legislation to streamline the permitting process at the state level. This process may aid in a significant increase in sales within these markets.

Le claimed that for the last decade, the industry has been largely self-regulated, but at the end of 2009, a technical standard was finalized and a Small Wind Certification Council is now able to certify equipment for compliance to the technical standard. “Many in the industry see certification as a strong sign of the industry’s maturity and as a building block for lasting growth. In fact, the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners will also begin the process of certifying small wind turbine installation professionals in the fall of 2010,” said Le.

According to Le, “Electricity prices across all sectors have risen by 6 percent since 2006 and this trend will continue. High prices of traditional electricity make alternative energy sources more competitive on an incremental-cost basis, particularly when factoring in renewable energy’s other financial and intangible benefits.”

A request by a tree farmer to install a 120-foot-tall wind turbine on his Long Lane, East Hampton, property has demonstrated that the Town of East Hampton is in need of guidelines for where and how such things are placed. Stephen Mahoney is seeking state and town permits to have the electricity-generating turbine installed on his 20-acre parcel. But the plan has drawn opposition from neighbors and others who want to preserve their views or are concerned about health and safety risks.

The specific location of Mr. Mahoney’s proposed wind turbine has been criticized because it is among many acres that were preserved with taxpayer money and that have been officially designated as scenic. At 120 feet tall, the turbine would tower over all that it is near. Mr. Mahoney should be allowed his turbine, but he should be asked to compromise on a height more acceptable to those who enjoy the view as it is.

The town, however, has no specific regulations governing such projects, though there have been calls for them over the years. This leaves the town board in the unusual position of becoming involved in a land-use decision, something otherwise reserved for other, less political boards, such as planning and zoning. Rules for wind power should be adopted before any additional projects are reviewed.