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How do they work? The wind turbine, which is installed on top of a tall tower, collects
wind energy and converts it into electricity. The turbine output is then made electrically
compatible with the utility and the output is fed into the household wiring at the breaker
panel.
The home is served simultaneously by the wind turbine and the utility. If the wind speed
is below 7 mph there will be no output from the wind turbine and all of the needed power
is bought from the utility. As the wind speed increases the turbine output increases and
the amount of power purchased from the utility is proportionately decreased. When the
turbine output is more than the house needs the extra electricity is sold to the utility.
All of this is done automatically. There are no batteries in a modern residential wind
system.
The wind turbine typically lowers your utility bill by 50-90%. It is not uncommon for
homeowners with total electric homes and Bergey turbines to have monthly utility bills of $8-15 for part of
the year. In northern parts of the country, where less air conditioning is used, the bills
can be very low year round.
What size would I need for my home? Homes typically use 1,000-2,000 kilowatt-hours of
electricity per month. Depending upon the average wind speed in the area this will require
a wind turbine rated in the range 5-15 kilowatts. Our 10 kW unit, the BWC EXCEL-S, is the
best selling residential unit in the U.S. It has a rotor diameter of 23 feet and is
typically installed on 80 or 100 foot towers.
Who should consider buying one? A wind turbine is a relatively large device and it is not
suitable for urban or small-lot suburban homes. We recommend a property size of one acre
or more. The economics of a wind system are determined by the average wind speed in
the area, the availability of rebates or tax credits, and the cost of electricity. As a general rule-of-thumb, we
recommend that you have at least a 10 mph average wind speed and be paying
10¢/kilowatt-hour or more for electricity. We have wind resource maps for the entire U.S.
and we can provide you with information on your wind resource. Residential wind turbines
have been installed in all 50 states.
Will it help the environment if I install a wind turbine at my home? Wind turbines produce
no pollution and by using wind power you will be offsetting pollution that would have been
generated by your utility company. Over its nominal 30 year life a BWC EXCEL will offset
approximately 1.2 tons of air pollutants and 200 tons of greenhouse gases.
Don't I have to take wind measurements for a year or more? No. For residential systems the
cost of taking wind measurements is not justified in most situations. Wind resource data
published by the U.S. Dept. of Energy is sufficient to predict performance. In very hilly
or mountainous areas, however, it may be prudent to take wind data before purchasing a
system to ensure that your site in not in a sheltered area.
Are wind turbines reliable, and what about maintenance? Bergey Windpower sells more
residential systems than anyone else because our turbines have proven to be the most
reliable on the market. Our turbines have only 3 or 4 moving parts and do not require any
regular maintenance. After a 66 month test of one of our 10 kW units, Wisconsin Power
& Light concluded that, "The turbines' reliability could not be improved
upon." Our turbines are designed to last 30-50 years or more and they operate completely
automatically.
Do they make noise or interfere with TV reception? Small wind turbines do make some noise,
but not enough to be found objectionable by most people. They do not interfere with TV
reception.
Will the utility company allow me to hook-up a wind generator? Federal regulations
(PURPA)
require utilities to allow you to install a wind generator and to pay you for any excess
power you produce. Bergey Windpower can assist you in arranging the required utility
company approvals.
Will I have to change any of the wiring in my house? No, a wind turbine is easily
retrofitted to virtually any home without need of changing any wiring or appliances. In
some states a second utility meter will be added, however, so that the utility can know
how much electricity you have sold to them.
What about towers? Usually a tower of between 80-140 feet is supplied along with the wind
turbine. Towers this tall are required to get above the turbulence generated by obstacles
and trees on the ground. Also, wind velocity, and, therefore, wind turbine performance,
increases as you get higher off the ground. For most situations an 80 or 100 foot tower is
sufficient. The most economical type of tower is the guyed lattice type, but other types
that are hinged or have no guy wires are also available.
How much do they cost? A 10 kW wind turbine costs approximately $48,000 -
65,000 to install.
The equipment cost is about $40,000 (see
10 kW GridTek System
) and the rest is shipping and installation. Towers without guy wires are
more expensive than guyed towers.
How are they as an investment? That depends on your cost of electricity and average wind
speed. The wind system will usually recoup its investment through utility savings within
6-30 years and after that the electricity it produces will be virtually free. Compared to
purchasing utility power, a wind system can be a good investment because your money goes to
increasing the value of your home rather than just paying for a service. Many people buy
wind systems for their retirement because they are concerned about utility rate increases.
How would I proceed to have a wind turbine installed at my home? There are
two routes: you can work with an authorized Bergey dealer for a complete turnkey
installation or you can purchase directly from the factory and have the unit
installed yourself. The first route requires less work on your part and offers a
higher level of after-sales support. The self-installation route offers
meaningful savings. We would be happy to discuss the
various approaches with you to determine which is best for your situation.
How can I get more information? We would be happy to send you further information on our
small wind turbines or answer any of your questions. Just call or write to Bergey
Windpower Co. at the address below. We recommend the small wind section of the
web site of the American Wind Energy Association: www.awea.org
For information on subsidies and regulations for your state we suggest:
www.dsireusa.org
For a detailed reference book on small wind we recommend Paul Gipe's book "Wind Power for Home and
Business", Chelsea Green Publishing, White River Junction, VT. This
$35.00, 400-page paperback book can be purchased from many local bookstores,
Bergey Windpower, or www.amazon.com.
Call us at 1-405-364-4212 if you have additional questions.. Bergey
Windpower Co., 2200 Industrial Blvd., Norman, OK 73069 USA T: 405-364-4212, F:
405-364-2078 BWC was formed in 1977 and has been manufacturing small wind turbines
since 1980. BWC wind turbines have been installed in all 50 states and approximately
90
countries. |
