The Windspire wind turbine is said to be a low-cost, low-noise appliance for use in urban, suburban, rural, and remote locations. Manufactured Mariah Power, Reno, Nevada, the turbines feature patented equipment to maximizes energy conversion from wind into electric power, regardless of speed or direction.
A high-wind version of a vertical axis wind turbine is said to withstand jetstream-like 168 mph winds and extreme weather conditions. The High Wind Windspire from Mariah Power, Reno, Nevada, will feature a shorter version of the company’s giromill straight blade design and its current generator and inverter. The company plans to sell this new product to government agencies, cellular companies, and ski resorts that require alternative energy equipment for consistent high wind and remote areas. The unit can be grid tied or used in dc form to recharge batteries.
The High Wind Windspire stands 13-ft tall and 4-ft wide. The unit is rated at 1.1 kW at 30 mph and is estimated to produce 2,066 kWh in 15 mph average wind speeds.
“The High Wind Windspire addresses the irony of wind power: a good wind resource is necessary to produce wind energy but too much wind can harm wind turbines,” said company CEO Mike Hess. “The new design allows installing it in areas with extreme winds and survive.” The company says to expect other new products in coming months.
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Dan,
The windspire WILL be a good investment when used in the urban settings it was designed for. HAWTs just are not a good fit everywhere.
The Windspire may be pretty and it may operate in high winds. However, the Windspire is not a good investment, relative to other small wind turbines. Expected annual output versus cost is the appropriate analysis, and the Windspire just doesn’t stack up well.
http://www.small-wind-turbine.com
The site link above shows this explicitely.