Small wind a big part of Solar and Wind Expo

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Excerpt: Small wind was a highlight of the Solar and Wind Expo (www.thesolarandwindexpo.com) a consumer-oriented renewable energy event recently held in Baltimore. Several small-wind companies exhibiting were enthusiastic about the event and its attendees. “They came to see and learn about the l …

Mini wind turbines

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Excerpt: Mini wind turbines  vary in size and power, delivering between 5 and 200 kW. They are well-suited for small, mountain or island communities, or small plants running off low voltage lines. Bonfiglioli Riduttori S.p.A.  partners with manufacturers of mini wind plants for weak wind, high turbulenc …

Turbine designed for water shows promise in air

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Excerpt: A turbine rotor designed for use in slow moving creeks, streams, rivers, tidal flows and ocean currents (no-head water) has shown promise as a rotor for wind turbines. Inventor Joel Neumann, Palatine, Ill, says that in wind-tunnel model tests the 7-in. diameter BNBES turbine equaled a 12-in. …

8 kW wind inverter comes with double standard warranty

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Excerpt: An 8,000W inverter for wind turbines expands the Windy Boy lineup, which now consists of five models ranging from 3,000 to 8,000 W. The unit’s factory warranty, from SMA America, Rocklin, Calif. (sma-america.com) has also been increased to 10 years, with the ability to extend to 15 or 20 years. …

Is it a chimney…or a turbine?

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Excerpt: Wind turbines on houses are not always practical because some home owner associations would object to the noise it might make, or neighborhoods that restrict changes in aesthetics. A U.K. inventor may have solved the problem with a design called the Secret Energy Turbine (SET) because it disguis …

Small wind certification testing goes regional

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Excerpt: The DOE recently announced the selection of four partners to establish small wind Regional Test Centers (RTCs) to conduct tests on small wind turbines to meet national and international standards.  These awards provide funding, training, and technical support for each Regional Test Center so they m …

Analyzing building-integrated wind

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Excerpt: Russell M. Tencer/CEO, Wind Products LLC/New York, NY Controversy seems to follow the installation of wind turbines on building rooftops, and for good reason. On one hand, there can be considerable wind with harvestable kinetic energy at roof level. Accessing this clean, renewable sou …

Novel transmission to give small turbines a boost

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Excerpt: A continuously variable transmission with features similar to planetary gearbox could improve energy capture for smaller wind turbines along with reducing capital costs. The transmission works by changing the contact position on a set of planetary balls on which input and output disks ride. Continuo …

Wind-turbine manufacturer adds solar interest, changes name

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Excerpt: Earth Turbines Inc, Williston, Vermont, the state's only manufacturer of small scale grid-connected wind and solar tracking systems, announces a corporate name change to AllEarth Renewables Inc. "Our company is dedicated to developing new wind and solar technologies," says David Blittersdor …

Small Wind Certification Coming Soon

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Excerpt: Small wind turbines currently lack any formal industry standards or certification. This creates a market scenario in which products are given misleading power ratings at varying speeds (the higher the wind speed the more power) and  durability ratings based only on internal assessment by the manufa …