Another "Pie-In-The-Sky" wind turbine? [RE-wrenches]

[Ian Woofenden, Home Power]

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Thanks for bringing that up, Christopher.

Anyone who brags about "low wind performance" -- meaning the 3 - 7 
mph --- is ignorant of the physics of wind.

The power available in the wind increases with the cube of the wind speed.

3 X 3 X 3 = 27

7 X 7 X 7 = 343

10 X 10 X 10 = 1,000

15 X 15 X 15 = 3,375

20 X 20 X 20 = 8,000


Very low wind speeds are irrelevant, since there is so little energy 
there. And a machine optimized to capture those low winds may not be 
very effective in the wind speeds we really care about -- 15 to 25 
mph.

It's all about kWh per month in your average wind speed. If the 
manufacturer can't give you real energy (kWh, NOT kW) numbers, run -- 
don't walk -- the other way. If they can, find confirmation of those 
numbers from real-world sites.

Ian


At 10:24 AM -0800 1/25/08, Christopher Freitas  --- OutBack Power wrote:
>The last line in this paragraph from the "why wind" section is my
>favorite part of their website:
>
>"With a non-cogging rotor, the generator can start turning in a 1.3 mph
>breeze and begins producing 50 watts in an 3 mph breeze and 100 watts in
>5 mph breeze.  Rated power of 1000 watts starts in as little as an 16
>mph wind.  This generator, with its nine (9) ft. dia. rotor, spins
>virtually 24/7, proving to be the real LOW wind leader under less than
>ideal conditions.  God provides a low 3-5 mph breeze around the world to
>help farmers pollinate their crops, instead of their neighbors."
>
>Huh?
>
>Christopher

-- 
Ian Woofenden <ian.woofenden at homepower.com>, Senior Editor, Home Power magazine
Subscriptions: $24.95 per year PO Box 520,Ashland, OR 97520 USA 
800-707-6585 (US), 541-512-0220
or download free sample issue at <http://www.homepower.com>


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