Need some real info regarding wind mills

**Blondie** · 05-18-2011, 11:27 AM

Hi All,

I have done some research regarding wind power. Frankly, I like idea of getting power from something that is natural and using it for my use. However, I get lots of conflicting info from individuals who have $ to be gained by going their way.

I have a long 10 acre lot out where the wind is documented to blow 12 to 16 m/hr. There are no trees, buildings or rock formations near by so the wind flow is unobstructed. It is a large flat plain at about 5200ft.

There is power to the lot but I would like to harness the wind for some power. to be more independent. I have no thoughts that a power company way out in the desert will want to buy back power.

Would it be worth my time and money to invest in a wind mill for power?

Blondie

**edkemper** · 05-18-2011, 12:52 PM

Blondie,

I read an article a while back about how farmers were changing their wind mills to solar panels. The jist of the article was the cost to maintain the wind units.

**rreidnauer** · 05-18-2011, 04:11 PM

I agree with Ed. If you get 340 days a year of sunshine, don't bother with a windmill. I on the other hand, have plenty of overcast days, so a mix of wind and solar is the right combination. Places with very little sunshine (Seattle?) probably would have little benefit from solar, and just wind turbines are the best choice.

**Blondie** · 05-18-2011, 09:25 PM

Rod,

I have found 10 acres two and a half hours north of Las Vegas at 5200ft. The climate is much more moderate than Las Vegas. While Las Vegas get to 110 degrees in the summer, this area only gets to 90 degrees. I would not say that it had 340 days of bright sunshine but it has alot. The reason I was looking at a windmill, is that it produces power at NIGHT as well as during the day. At this altitude there should be winds blowing across the desert with the temperature change of day to night and night to day.

Blondie

**Kennit** · 05-18-2011, 10:01 PM

Rod,

Saw a little blurb on the TV the other day about solar in Seattle... with the amount of rain we get, apparently it washes the solar panels (frequently) and then they work at a higher efficency rate. Do you think there is any truth to this? Or just an attempt to get more people to go solar in the PNW?

Ken

**Kennit** · 05-18-2011, 10:13 PM

Sorry Blondie, didn't mean to hi-jack your thread.

Ken

**loghousenut** · 05-18-2011, 11:21 PM

Why not both? Wind and solar compliment each other nicely. Here in Oregon the power company is mandated to buy back our excess power at the same rate they sell it to us for. Essentially it runs the meter backwards. The real beauty of tying into the grid is the elimination of batteries. Like Ed said there is some maintenance involved with windmills but it is nothing like the maintenance involved for a battery bank. I say if you have a good solar site do solar. If you have a good wind or water site do them also. If you have a natural gas well.... Well then you can retire.

**donjuedo** · 05-19-2011, 04:59 AM

Originally Posted by Blondie

Hi All,

Would it be worth my time and money to invest in a wind mill for power?

Blondie

The answer depends on the numbers. I would try to find someone in the area who already has a wind mill, and ask about how much energy it produces. From that answer, you can shop around for wind mill prices and estimate cost per kilowatt-hour, then compare to grid cost per kilowatt-hour.

I hope that helps.

Peter

**rreidnauer** · 05-19-2011, 03:20 PM

I wasn't saying you shouldn't get a windmill Blondie, just to consider if the benefits of it are worth it. The thing to watch on (commercially available residential type) windmills is, overstated power production figures. It takes two things to make power. Air velocity and collection area. (area of the rotor exposed to wind) Since your air velocity can't be altered, your only choice is to get a wind turbine big enough to produce the wattage you desire at your average wind speed.

I personally do not endorse 'vertical axis' wind turbines, as they have very small collection area for their given size. The whole benefit of working no matter how much wind direction changes that is bragged about really means little in real world production numbers. For air to be changing direction regularly, it means that it must be moving relatively slow. This is where vertical axis turbine manufacturers brag they can collect energy where horizontal axis turbines can't. But this goes right back to wattage is a component of collection area and air velocity. Slow wind has very little energy. How little? Well, consider this. For every doubling of wind speed, the energy potential increases eightfold!! Those numbers work in reverse too, so if you cut wind speed in half, you only produce one-eighth the energy. There simply is no value in low wind speeds.

And to Ken's question. Yes, manufactures recommend that you clean your panels on occasion, as some efficiency losses will occur with dust and debris, though, I think the whole raining a lot argument is a long reach.