Agenda - Council - 08/25/2009 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

Basic parts of a traditional, Horizontal -Axis Small Wind System Vertical -Axis Turbine Skystream 1.SkW turbine aesthetic comparison to lampposts INTRODUCTION What Are Small Wind Turbines? A small wind turbine is a device that produces electricity from wind. Moving air causes the turbine to rotate, which generates clean, emissions -free energy that can be used to power a home, farm, school, or small business.' Though most small wind turbines look like a miniaturized, "back yard" version of the large, utility -scale, three -bladed turbines, the industry encompasses over 200 different models and they can vary widely.in appearance. A small wind turbine is technologically advanced but mechanically simple, with only two or three moving parts. Most feature three blades of 2-15 feet in length, a generator located at the hub, and a tail. The turbine is mounted on a steel tower 35-140 feet high, which is designed as a freestanding monopole (like a street light), a lattice tower (like a radio tower), or a guyed monopole (like a street light with 160' 140' 120' 100' 80' 60' 40' 20' support cables from mid -tower to the ground). (See p. 10 for illustration) Some models eliminate the traditional propeller -shaped blade design and instead feature a cylinder -like component that revolves similarly to a barbershop pole or corkscrew. Systems of this configuration are known as 'Ivertical axis" turbines because the plane of rotation is perpendicular, or vertical, to the ground. The technology has advanced considerably in the recent years, making small wind turbines.quieter, more reliable, and better able to blend in with surrounding aesthetics. A forthcoming (2009) program to certify small wind turbines to a safety, performance, sound, and reliability standard will further promote high performance and increase consumer confidence.2 =7agpole turbine wrbine tuln" _ turbine - tutbine _..I. Aesitlanllat . $aM Syslem S _1 "Small wind system" encompasses not only the turbine, but the tower, foundation, and wiring equipment often necessary for an installation. "Small wind turbine" and "small wind system" are sometimes used interchangeably. z 11 -le Small Wind Certification Council (SWCC) is an independent, third -party program that will; upon its introduction in 2009, certify small wind -.__.._ turbines tested to a performance, safety, and reliability standard. Proposed and enacted incentives f or small -turbine consumers at state and federal levels have already beoun to account for this impending program by making future certification a requisite for eligibility. Other states, such as California and New York, have incorporated their own criteria for eligibility into their incentive programs in order to grant incentives only to products that meet certain performance and safety conditions.