Wind NRG is a trade name owned by Earth Care Products. Earth Care
represents many different companies. Our dealer will be glad to discuss
the different products offered by manufacturers. Therefore the name
WindNRG is simply used as a Trade Name to define certain FAQ’s and
to gather the names of those interested in a Wind Energy System.
How much power will my wind turbine produce?
Your new WindNRG turbine power output is entirely dependent on the
wind specific to your property. No wind.no power. Little wind.little
power. Lots of wind.lots of power. With the obvious being said, your
WindNRG VAWT will produce power according to how much wind impacts
the turbine blades. Check the power graphs to find out what the power
output will be for any given wind speed. Next, get a wind speed distribution
for your specific turbine location and multiply the number of hours
your turbine is exposed to those wind speeds times the power output
at those wind speeds. Simply using average wind speeds will underestimate
the output. For example, 10KW if the wind speed is 28 mph for 50
percent of the time and zero mph for 50 percent of the time, the
average wind speed would be (28+0)/2=14 mph. The power output at
28 mph is 10 kW, the power output at 14 mph is 2 kW, and the power
output at zero mph is 0 kW. One year has 8760 hours, so in one year
your new 10KW would produce (.50)(8760 hours)(10 kW)+(.50)(8760)(0
kW)=43,800 kWh please note that this is higher than the average wind
speed of 14 mph and the output of 14 mph for 100 percent of the time,
which would be (1.00)(8760)(2 kW)=17,520 kWh.
Big wind farms hire consultants to measure wind speeds and estimate
outputs. You may want to do likewise and buy an anemometer and gather
data before purchasing a new wind turbine.
Do I have enough wind for my WindNRG VAWT to
make sense?
To determine this, we urge you to check for the wind conditions
in your area, possibly from a nearby airport or weather station and/or
from wind maps, which are readily available. Note: these maps are
at 30m and up, so it is not a direct indication of lower level winds,
such at 10-20m, but it can give you a solid indication of winds in
your area.
Your local utility rates also play a large role.
One thing to keep in mind, should you decide to supplement your
energy with a WindNRG turbine, is that you are eliminating the peak
consumption rates that you are being charged by your utility company
even when you decide to cover a small portion of your needs, rather
than becoming carbon neutral. Because of this, using the average
cost of your electricity is not necessarily accurate when calculating
payoff periods.
As a hypothetical example, your average rate may be .15/kwh, with
a base rate of .08/kwh, but your peak could be .30/kwh, or higher.
Should you supplement 1/3 of your energy requirements with a WindNRG
turbine, you could be saving at a rate of .30/kwh, rather than .15/kwh.
Keep this in mind when figuring out approximate payoff periods, because
this can dramatically effect the actual payoff.
The answer is also dependent on if there are financial incentives
for small wind turbines available in your area. Go to the ‘rebates’
link on this page for details on all state and federal rebates and
incentives.
How much maintenance will my new WindNRG VAWT
require?
Your WindNRG VAWT is designed to be 100% maintenance free. Periodic
monitoring of the secondary components (i.e. inverter, batteries,
etc) is recommended.
Can I hook my new WindNRG VAWT up to the grid?
Yes, with the proper permit, a licensed contractor, and the proper
electronics, your new WindNRG VAWT is compatible with Net Metering
agreements between you and your utility both here and abroad.
Can I charge batteries with my new WindNRG VAWT?
Yes, with the proper electronics and installation, your new WindNRG
VAWT is well suited to charging battery banks for backup or off grid
purposes.
Can I hook up more than one unit in parallel?
Yes, you can us multiple WindNRG VAWT’s to best fit your electrical
demands.
Zoning issues are different in each jurisdiction. Most cities and
counties have specific regulations regarding small wind turbines.
In most cases you will need to get a permit. Keep in mind, that your
new WindNRG VAWT is silent and vibration free. Thus many regulations
that were intended for the older propeller driven technology may
not restrict the use of our turbines.
Do I need a permit?
Yes. Most jurisdictions require a permit. Most utility companies
also require a permit if you grid tie. Check with your city or county
planning department or hire a licensed contractor.
Who installs my new WindNRG VAWT?
Your dealer will install your new WindNRG VAWT. If you bought your
new WindNRG VAWT direct or from another source, you will need to
hire a licensed contractor to get the permit required and to safely
install your new wind turbine and the electronics.
Are the WindNRG VAWT’s dangerous to birds?
No. Unlike the older propeller turbine technology, Vertical Axis
Wind Turbines are visible to birds. VAWT’s appear as a solid object
when they are in motion.
How much noise will my WindNRG VAWT make?
Your WindNRG VAWT is virtually silent and will make less noise than
the ambient environment.
What is covered by WindNRG 5-year limited warranty?
Parts, labor, and shipping. Your dealer must uninstall the wind
turbine and ship it to our quality control facility where we will
determine what the cause of the problem was and if it is repairable.
If it is due to a defect in the workmanship of the turbine or generator,
WindNRG will ship a new unit and pay your dealer for the reinstallation.
Why haven’t we seen these VAWT’s before?
VAWT’s have never been commercially viable before due to their high
cost and low efficiencies. WindNRG has solved these problems that
were thought to be inherent to VAWT’s. Your WindNRG VAWT is both
cost effective and efficient in the proper areas.
If you are shopping around for the right VAWT, make sure to inquire
about rated power, rated wind speed (clarify if the answer is in
mph or m/s), power curve (wattage vs. wind speed), delivery times,
warranty, maintenance, and if they have a track record of successful
installations.
Do they come in only one color?
Yes. . The 2KW has light grey foils and spars with a blue generator.
The 10KW is light grey in color. The turbines generally blend well
with the surroundings. However other paint schemes can be safely
painted on. Contact your dealer or a factory rep for details.
Can I get any type of rebate or incentive?
Yes. Many states have rebates and/or incentives for wind energy.
Please see our “Rebates” in our library section of this
web site.
Can I install these on my boat?
Yes. Depending on the size of your boat, all can be safely installed
and operated.
Will the system electrocute me or someone else
if the grid goes down?
No. In order to grid tie, your WindNRG VAWT must be installed with
one of the UL approved inverters from our list of recommended components.
These inverters will divert the energy from the turbine if/when the
grid goes down.
Why doesn’t the generator have a vent?
The generator produces heat as a byproduct of making electricity
and this heat dissipates through the aluminum housing and out into
the air stream. It doesn’t need a vent because of the heat transfer
taking place through the aluminum housing.
Will my WindNRG generator lose efficiency over
years of operation?
No. The rare earth magnets that WindNRG incorporates into it’s generator
designs won’t lose their charge, so they will continue to keep their
high efficiencies.
Can I use the same inverter for both my VAWT
and my solar photovoltaic panels?
Yes. Your reseller or a licensed electrician can recommend an inverter
that is compatible for a hybrid solar/wind system. It may be the
case that more than one inverter is necessary.
Where is the best place to install a VAWT on
my property?
That is entirely dependent on your property. A general rule of thumb
with any wind turbine is the higher, the better, due to the fact
that the wind is less turbulent the higher that you go. Your WindNRG
VAWT will operate great in turbulent air, where propellers cannot,
but we still do recommend using a 30 ft pole or higher for stand
alone installations.
Mounting your WindNRG turbine to the side of your house or building
is also recommended. Generally, you would mount the turbine anywhere
from one to ten feet above the roof line.
Commercial roof top installations are recommended where the structure
of the building is determined by your installer to be suitable for
the loads of the turbine and tower. Residential roof top installations
must be determined to be safe by your local installer and/or general
contractor. WindNRG cannot guarantee our turbines installation on
residential or commercial buildings, without proper investigation
being done by the consumer to ascertain the strength of the buildings
structure and/or roof top itself.
The WindNRG stacked tower designs generally are installed in stand
alone fashion, but can also be installed for commercial building/roof
top applications where appropriate.
Can I use my own pole, tower, or other mounting
solution?
Yes, but you need to make sure it is strong enough to support the
appropriate lateral load in severe wind conditions. Check with your
local reseller, local planning department, or a licensed contractor
before deciding on a mounting solution on your own.
Can I install my VAWT on a garden shed or other
structure?
A flimsy garden shed or other small structure is not sturdy enough
to support the lateral load required in severe wind conditions. If
that is the only structure available for mounting your VAWT, then
you will have to mount it on a stand alone pole or tower. Check with
your local reseller for solutions.
How long will my WindNRG VAWT last?
Your WindNRG VAWT has a 5 year limited warranty, but should last
for decades with normal use and absence of external damage. Even
in coastal salt air conditions, your VAWT should not corrode or suffer
any degradation of function. The only events that could damage your
turbine would be flying object damage in a severe wind condition,
or tampering with the generator or its seals.
What is a dump load?
A dump load is a big resistor. It dissipates excess electricity
in the form of heat. A system needs a dump load if it is producing
power and there is nowhere else for the power to go.
What if lightning strikes my VAWT?
A direct lightning strike will probably damage the bearings inside
the generator and render your VAWT inoperative. The best way to avoid
this is to have a simple lightning rod installed high enough above
the top of your VAWT to divert a direct lightning strike.
Is there a way to stop the turbine from spinning?
Yes. You can short the generator output wires which will apply an
extraordinarily large load on the turbine. In moderate to higher
winds, however, the turbine will continue to spin, albeit at a slow
speed.
