Friday, August 8, 2008

Wind Turbines Starting to Catch On


I love the idea of the vertical wind turbine, as opposed to the normal propeller blade style.
I found this company after hearing the owners of Mariah Power interviewed on the Ed Schulz radio program. At only $5000, energy independence is starting to look like a possibility. Here's their information:

The Windspire is a low cost, attractive, plug-n-produce wind power appliance that provides a safe and attractive method for harnessing power from the wind. At only 30 feet tall and 2 feet in radius, Windspire is distinguished by its sleek propeller-free design, ultra quiet operation, rugged construction, and affordable pricing. Designed for operation where we live and work, it sells for $4,995 and comes complete with a high efficiency generator, integrated inverter, hinged monopole, and wireless performance monitor.

Attractive - Manufactured with corrosion-resistant soft silver paint that can be re-painted in any color, Windspire provides a truly aesthetically-inspiring renewable wind power option. It is appropriate for rural, suburban, and some urban residential environments alike, and at 30 feet, it is below typical residential and urban zoning restrictions. Several Windspires placed artistically in arrays can form an interesting display of kinetic art in front of small businesses, commercial buildings, resorts, etc.

Extremely Quiet - Our uniquely slender vertical axis design allows Windspire to operate with a low tip speed ratio (the edges of the rotor spin just 2 to 3 times the speed of the wind), which makes it virtually silent.

Durable, Simple Installation, Low Maintenance - Rugged yet simple construction means durability - Windspire is rated for winds up to 100 mph - and low maintenance for customers. Installation is simple, and can be completed by a professional installer in a matter of hours. The Windspire kit comes complete with everything you will typically need, except the concrete, so installers do not need to source numerous other components. Once installed, you can "plug 'n produce" - plug it into your outlet to begin drawing power from the wind. Alternatively you can have it hard-wired into your building. Regular maintenance is limited to a couple of minutes a year to oil the bearings, located 9 feet above the ground.

Power from Advanced Technology - Mariah Power’s patented technology includes a rotor, generator, and inverter designed as a complete system to optimize the conversion of wind energy into electricity. The 1.2 kW (1.2 kilowatt, or 1200 watts) Windspire will produce approximately 2000* kilowatt hours per year in 12 mile per hour average winds. The Windspire also includes an internal wireless modem that can continuously transmit power production information directly to your computer so you can check your power production at any time.

No comments:

Post a Comment