Teeter bearing help wind turbines Sssssssh
July 18, 2009 by Paul Dvorak
Filed under Bearings, Mechanical Components, Small Wind Power, Turbine Design
Excerpt: A few early wind turbines in the U.K. drew considerable criticism because they were noisy, So Wind Energy Group Ltd. (WEG) paid more attention to acoustic isolation in the recent MS-3 turbine. The primary noise-attenuation feature was a Metalastik Spherilastik “teeter” bearing from Trellebo …
Lithium batteries for renewable-energy backup
July 17, 2009 by Paul Dvorak
Filed under Electrical Systems, Small Wind Power, Utility Grid
Excerpt: Stationary batteries provide electrical power to systems during power outages. They are used in equipment dedicated to stabilizing voltages by eliminating irregularities in systems that generate electrical power. The batteries can hold large loads temporarily as utility power switches from one g …
Vertical axis turbine works well atop office building
July 16, 2009 by Paul Dvorak
Filed under Small Wind Power, Wind Turbine Installation
Excerpt: One forecast for small scale wind generators (sometimes called microgeneration) has them providing 30 to 40% of all the UK’s electricity needs by 2050. The British Wind Energy Association hints that with price trends for crude oil continuing up, the cost of small scale wind could be competitiv …
Vertical axis unit rated for 1.2 kW
July 13, 2009 by Paul Dvorak
Filed under Small Wind Power
Excerpt: An attractive and quiet wind turbine is only 30-ft tall, 4-ft wide, and distinguished by a propeller-free design. The Windspire, a vertical axis design from Mariah Power, Reno, Nevada, generates power which is converted to alternating current to power a home grid. The turbine was designed fro …
A home turbine for net metering
July 13, 2009 by Paul Dvorak
Filed under Small Wind Power
Excerpt: A wind generator for grid-connected homes is said to let users take control of their energy bills. The Skystream 3.7 from Southwest Windpower, Flagstaff, Ariz, lets those in certain states can take advantage of ‘net-metering,’ or the sale of unused energy back to the power grid. The turbi …
Turbine intended for homes and small businesses
July 3, 2009 by Paul Dvorak
Filed under Featured Wind Power Articles, Small Wind Power
Excerpt: The Swift Wind Turbine is a building-mountable unit that developers say provides a quiet, cost-effective renewable energy source for domestic, community, and industrial use. Each Swift, from Cascade Renewable Energy Solutions, Grand Rapids, Mich., can provide about 2,000 kWh/yr in areas with ab …
