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Home Turbine

Saturday, July 11th, 2009

Home Turbines

In Macomb Illinois, a local couple, Kim Sedgwick and Carl Pershing were seeking a renewable energy system to power the cabin at Sedgwick’s nature preserve in southern McDonough County. Kim was inspired after touring homes in New Mexico and learning from her Amish neighbors.

The couple found WindEnergy7.com and began talking about the systems and learning all about the company’s wind/solar hybrid technology. Pershing and Sedgwick became WindEnergy7 dealers after investing in their own wind/solar system because they could see what importance the new technology would be to people all over the US. They wanted to get involved and help others in their area do what they had done.

Energy rates and carbon emissions are rising, Kim and Carl are combating both by offering an alternative to conventional home power supply.

Their new business, “It’s a Breeze”, is helping others to develop personal energy security for their homes and families. The business is located at 215 S. Ward St. in Macomb, Illinois. “It’s a Breeze” is now a dealer for WindEnergy7 LLC and has a territory of 6 counties in Illinois, McDonough, Schuyler, Warren, Fulton, Henderson and Hancock Counties.

WindEnergy7 LLC, a green energy company from Ohio has helped dozens of people to become dealers across the united states and has begun to set up dealers internationally now. Samuel Hargis, the founder of WindEnergy7 is an inventor, designer, and manufacturer of home wind/solar hybrid energy systems. His company, WindEnergy7 LLC holds the patent pending inventions that make rooftop wind turbines possible.

Before WindEnergy7 invented the new method and apparatus, all rooftop turbines had failed because of harsh vibration and noise to the home. Customers have found the systems to be easy to install and operate. Customers quickly notice how people are so interested to buy systems, thus WindEnergy7 created an owner/dealer opportunity. Owners of the systems, like the couple in Macomb Illinois can get a territory and make money helping others with residential wind/solar systems. Owner/dealers from Hawaii to Massachusetts have begun selling wind/solar hybrid systems into their communities.

These systems are designed for use off the electrical grid or as a supplement to grid power. Pershing said selling the turbines and panels as a cooperative system makes green energy more accessible to average homeowners.

These systems are developed to be affordable for middle class homeowners. “It all boils down to how many kilowatts a month you use for your home,” said Pershing. “You can add more solar panels or put up to three turbines on your house to get the amount of power you want.”

One of the major benefits of acquiring the wind/solar system is the 30 percent federal tax credit and more affordable energy bills. A green energy system raises your property value without raising your property taxes.

Sedgwick said “I knew there had to be a happy medium between them not using electricity at all and us not wanting to take from the earth, This is it.”

The payback period for the system is about five to seven years for customers who remain on the grid. Sedgwick said independence from the power company is enough payback for her. “I consider this freedom,” said Sedgwick.

The inventor of the systems began developing them solely as a economic benefit for himself. “In Ohio, our energy costs were steadily going up. I set out to develop a system that would work for any middleclass home.” said Hargis. “I knew it had to be able to pay for itself in a few years and have a decent price point. I developed a really heavy duty state of the art system that is designed to run beyond 30 years. That’s why there are so many stainless steel parts inside the turbine and the roof mount is such heavy duty steel. You can tell at a glance that our system is more elegant and durable than anything else in the marketplace. We are very proud of the systems, their success, and how well all the dealers have gotten at selling and servicing, to help others get involved.”

For more information, see our home turbine buyer’s guide

If you are interested in starting a wind project for your residence or acreage, contact us. To Buy a Wind Turbine or Become a Dealer, Please fill out our Contact Form. The system will automatically send you some additional info.

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LED Light Bulb And Residential Wind/Solar Systems

Wednesday, February 11th, 2009

We always recommend that homeowners plan for home energy conservation along with their green energy system installation. Most homeowners want to install a wind/solar hybrid electric system to provide electricity and lighting for the residence. One of the best ways to do this is to start with the lighting of a residence and install efficient bulbs. Most of you are thinking of CFL (compact florescent). Not me, I have started using LED bulbs in my residence and those that are new Wind/Solar projects. Most of you have barely begun to hear about LED technology, LED is for (light emmitting diode) and it is the most efficient and low cost way to provide lighting, BY A MILE.

LED bulbs can quickly pay for themselves through energy savings, even though they cost more. Today’s LED bulbs below, use less than ONE THIRD of the energy of CFL (compact fluorescent) bulbs and last up to 30,000 hours. Between the long life of the bulbs and the savings on electricity the LED is money well spent. Below I will show you the numbers and on this page you can review and purchase the different bulbs that we recommend.

By replacing the existing incandescent lightbulbs with LEDs, a homeowner can reserve this power for other uses. Even with the expense of buying new LEDs it’s substantially more cost-effective than staying with incandescent or compact florescent bulbs.

Home Turbine Buyer’s Guide

Tags: blue led, bright led, home wind power, led, led bulb, led bulbs, led flashlight, led light, led lighting, led lights, leds, red led, solar power home, white led
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Home Wind Turbine, Rooftop Residential Wind Turbines

Wednesday, February 4th, 2009

Home Wind Systems are a way to take control of your energy needs. Nationwide, homeowners are building and installing wind/solar hybrid systems. WindEnergy7 has complete kits of matching components starting at just $2990. We also sell larger turbines and towers up to whatever size project a customer needs. However, because our systems are designed to be so modular and expandable, we recommend that customers and dealers start out with a base kit. It’s easy and cheap to get started, and you can add on as you wish. As you can see in this picture, two or more systems can be easily coupled together. We sell a kit that is a three turbine kit, goes on a rooftop.

wind-energy wind turbine rooftop wind solar hybrid

Our best selling kit is the smaller rooftop mounted turbine that connects with a solar panel to give clean reliable power at 850 watts of Wind/Solar Hybrid power. The cycles of heavy wind season in winter, heavy solar season in summer go hand in hand with our hybrid wind/solar systems. Also, when solar is dead at night, wind is typically stronger at night. There’s a synergy of generation in these wind/solar hybrids that helps to make a system more consistent.

Home Turbine Buyer’s Guide

We designed a heavy duty, high tech system that is attractively priced, that gives an even flow of energy year round. Many interested in home wind power are exploring homegrown junkyard turbines to build yourself. They will look like what they are when finished, junkyard turbines. They will not look like these kits above that we sell. For most people, a professionally designed, attractive, high tech kit is the way to to. It’s way simple to assemble and put up and is more attractive at the home. Small DIY Wind Turbine Generator Kits

See Small Wind Turbine Tax Credit

Tags: axis wind turbine diy, diy home wind turbine, diy wind turbines, home wind power, michigan wind, oklahoma wind, residential wind generators, wind generator how to, wind power home
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Texas Energy Policy, Inhibiting Green Energy!

Wednesday, December 31st, 2008

Real Quick, What is net metering?
“Net Metering” is the most critical public policy and state regulated rules that govern YOUR PERSONAL ENERGY RIGHTS, FREEDOM. Through Net Metering, energy consumed and produced at a home or business that has a home wind turbine or solar system is metered and credited. Under net metering, excess electricity produced by the wind turbine will spin the existing home or business electricity meter backwards, effectively banking the electricity until it is needed by the customer. This provides the customer with full retail value for all the electricity produced.

If you can’t afford a windmill or solar system for your home, we still need you to get involved, right here. This article will point out how your state, Texas has serious limits on your personal energy rights. That’s right, people in states like Colorado, New Jersey, etc. have far more rights and freedom for personal energy than you. Please make these same points to your elected officials, Governor, State Representatives, Local newspapers, and Utility Commissions. Join me in calling on US Congress and US Senate to legislate a standardized Net Metering Policy, nationally. We need National Standards for Net Metering Policy to support wind and solar progress, not stifle it. Having these states all do their own thing is limiting many Americans from their personal energy rights. But first, for now, we need to shine the light on these state policies and get reforms in our own back yard.

Here’s a quick look at Texas Net Metering Rules. I’m going to compare them to other states, states where the government Utility Commissions and Politicians are on the side of taxpayers and not sold out to Fat Cat Utility companies. If the Texas taxpayers don’t understand what needs to happen, and make noise to public officials, then the Utility Companies are the ones most influencing policy, not the consumers. Thus we will be stuck with these limits on green energy for homeowners and businesses.

I’ll use Colorado and New Jersey in some real basic policy comparisons so you can easily see where you, in Texas, are getting hosed by Big Utility friendly policy.

Home Turbine Buyer’s Guide

Texas Limit on System Size: 100 kW for qualifying facilities; 50 kW for renewables (see summary)
OK, that is enough for most but not all residences, depending on wind resources. Any very large residence, normal business, or a consumer in a lower wind area could need more power than that. What does that mean? Well, it means that by your states Utility Commission rules, they and their big Utilities they are supposed to “regulate” have it fixed on the taxpayer. As a taxpayer, many larger residences and most businesses will have to go Off-Grid to generate ALL their own power. Not good enough. No freedom in that, no justice. WHO is most likely to afford to invest in green energy? The largest residences and some stable businesses that can afford it… Doh. Sorry, your elected officials and their corrupt Utility “Regulators” have basicall put a limit in there for that…

Compare To, New Jersey Limit on System Size: 2MW, 2,000,000 watts
OK, meaning a person in New Jersey has dramatically more rights to personal energy than a taxpayer in Texas. That’s enough to power 2 WalMart stores! To be mathematic, a New Jersey taxpayer has 20 times the personal energy rights than a taxpayer in Texas. That sucks for Texas taxpayers, but maybe not so bad for the Big Utilities and the government “regulators” and politicians that support these limits on taxpayer rights to personal energy. They keep that ceiling over your head to hold back green energy, or keep it for themselves. We all have wind, sun, we should all have freedom to make OUR OWN electricity from it.

Texas Limit on Overall Enrollment: None
OK, this is great, same as leading states like Colorado. In many states like Michigan, the fat cats have it capped at 0.5% of grid capacity, then they don’t have to allow anyone else… It’s too successful at 0.5% and they want it stopped.. Nice.

Texas Treatment of Net Excess: Purchased by utility for a given billing period at avoided-cost rate.
OK, that’s a rip off. That means they can pay you whatever their idea is of their “avoided cost”. Bogus. And they can take your excess, pay you a fraction for your power generated, sell it to your neighbors an retail rate. Your Texas Net Metering Policy is getting an “F” for this bad policy. This should specifically be a 1 to 1 retail rate, what they charge is what they credit/pay otherwise they are taking advantage.

Colorado, Treatment of Net Excess: Credited to customer’s next bill; IOUs: utility pays customer at end of calendar year for excess kWh credits at the average hourly incremental cost for that year. Co-ops and Munis: annual reconciliation at a rate deemed appropriate by the utility. The annual period is undefined.

Texas Utilities Involved: Applies only to all integrated IOUs that have not unbundled in accordance with Public Utility Regulatory Act § 39.05; does not apply to municipal utilities, river authorities and electric cooperatives
Oh Boy, In Texas, some of the highest cost power is in munis, co-ops, and river authorities. These rules are crafted to allow many over-priced Utility Companies to be outside the rules. That stinks too. We need all inclusive wording here no matter who’s contriuting to who’s campaign, or paying gifts, bribes, whatever goes on there.

Colorado Utilities Involved: All IOUs and co-ops; munis with more than 5,000 customers
OK, Here, Colorado basically doesn’t let anyone out of Net Metering Rules, that’s really good. In Texas, some of the highest cost power is in munis and co-ops. Texas needs to step up to other states level of energy freedom here and “regulate”, stop protecting their buddies.

*HB 3693, passed in May 2007 and effective September 2007, appears to make significant modifications to Texas net metering and interconnection policy. As of April 2008, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) and the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) were still in the process of implementing this legislation. Although implementation is ongoing, an April 2008 PUCT order clarifies that net metering will not be available in areas of Texas in which retail electric competition has been introduced. The impact of HB 3693 on net metering availability in non-competitive areas of Texas is still being determined. PUCT documents on this subject are available under Docket 34890 while ERCOT is addressing issues for small renewable generators (<50 kW) through its Profiling Working Group.

As we speak there are loopholes and complication being piled on in favor of Fat Cat Utilities by bureaucrats and politicians beholden to them. This PUCT, ERCOT, and such is a diversion allowing multiple rules in play on your rights… YOUR VOICE IS NEEDED.

Also, forward these links to your local texas papers and write letters to the editor, send to local news for exposure and attention.

Contact: Governor Rick Perry
Office of the Governor
P.O. Box 12428
Austin, Texas 78711-2428
Citizen’s Opinion Hotline: (800) 252-9600
FAX: (512) 463-1849
FAX:(517) 335-6863
http://www.governor.state.tx.us/contact/
http://governor.state.tx.us/about/

Contact:
Public Information – PUCT
Public Utility Commission of Texas
7800 Shoal Creek Boulevard, #400N
Austin, TX 78757
Phone: (512) 936-7000
E-Mail: customer@puc.state.tx.us

http://www.puc.state.tx.us

Contact: Texas State Representatives:
Leadership in the House is headed by the Speaker of the House, who makes committee appointments and designates which committee(s) each Representative will serve on.

Here you can find a listing all Texas Representatives and their contact information, including office phone numbers and e-mail addresses. If you use this by Zip Code, it will give you your US Senators as well.
Find Texas State Representatives By Zip

For Wind Turbine Sales or Dealer Inquiries turbine@windenergy7.com.

Tags: build wind generator, home wind turbine, net metering, north texas wind, residential wind turbines, solar power residential, texas wind, texas wind energy, vertical wind generator
Posted in solar energy, wind energy | 1 Comment »

Michigan Energy Policy, Needs Change In Leadership?

Thursday, December 25th, 2008

So, whether or not you can afford a windmill or solar system for your home, THIS is where you can get involved, right here. I’m going to point out how your state of Michigan has serious limits on your personal energy rights. That’s right, people in states like Colorado, New Jersey, etc. have far more rights and freedom for personal energy than you. I’ll keep it short, but you can make these same points to your elected officials, Governor, State Representatives, Local newspapers, and Utility Commissions. Further, you can join me in calling on US Congress and US Senate to legislate a standardized Net Metering Policy, nationally. We need National Standards for Net Metering Policy to support wind and solar progress, not stifle it. Having these states all do their own thing is limiting many Americans from their personal energy rights.

Home Turbine Buyer’s Guide

Now, let’s have a quick look at Michigan Net Metering Rules. I’m going to compare them to other states, states where the government Utility Commissions and Politicians are on the side of taxpayers and not sold out to Fat Cat Utility companies. It’s not all about corruption but just as much about YOU. If the Michigan taxpayers don’t understand what needs to happen, and make noise to public officials, then the Utility Companies are the ones most influencing policy, not the consumers.

I’ll use Colorado and New Jersey in some real basic policy comparisons so you can easily see where you, in Michigan, are getting hosed by Big Utility friendly policy and law.

Michigan Limit on System Size: 20 kW which is 20,000 watts.
OK, that is enough for a suburban home with moderate power consumption, depending on wind resources. Any large residence, normal business, or a consumer in a lower wind area could need more power than that. What does that mean? Well, it means that by your states Utility Commission rules, they and their big Utilities they are supposed to “regulate” have it fixed on the taxpayer. As a taxpayer, many larger residences and most businesses will have to go Off-Grid to generate ALL their own power. Not good enough. No freedom in that, no justice.

Compare To, New Jersey Limit on System Size: 2MW, 2,000,000 watts
OK, meaning a person in New Jersey has dramatically more rights to personal energy than a taxpayer in Michigan. That’s enough to power 2 WalMart stores! To be mathematic, a New Jersey taxpayer has 100 times the personal energy rights than a taxpayer in Michigan. That sucks for Michigan taxpayers, but maybe not so bad for the Big Utilities and the government regulators and politicians that support these limits on taxpayer rights to personal energy. They keep that ceiling over your head to hold back green energy, or keep it for themselves. We all have wind, we should all have freedom to make OUR OWN electricity from it.

Michigan Limit on Overall Enrollment: 0.5% of a utility’s peak load from the preceding year.
OK, here again, the Michigan Politicians need to act. The big Utility Companies, Utility Commission, and the fat cat politicians that they are supporting have put a tight ceiling right over the head of those wanting to have their own personal wind generation. 0.5%, is a JOKE. Here again, who do these rules and policies support, not the consumer taxpayer. What this means is that if the Net Metering SUCCEEDS and the power generated exceeds 0.5% then they can and will STOP ALLOWING more net metering permits.

Colorado Limit on Overall Enrollment: None, no limit
OK, here we are again, why should a Michigan homeowner or small business have less rights to enroll for Net Metering. What the hell? What is that bogus 0.5% ceiling where they can just stop allowing people to get Net Metering. 0.5% is a joke, that’s not aggressive at all. What that is is a goal, a goal of your Utility Commission and Big Fat Cat Utilities to hold back the progress of consumer wind and solar for their own personal energy rights. Great for Colorado, Michigan gets an F for that 0.5% and all the responsible parties who decided that need voted out and or straightened out.

Michigan Treatment of Net Excess: Carried over at the power supply (i.e., wholesale) component of the retail rate each billing period; no provision for annual true-up, so rollover may be indefinite.
OK, that’s pretty vague as to value. That means they can pay you whatever their idea is of their “wholesale cost”. Bogus. And they can take your excess without ever settling up the bill to pay you for your power generated by you, used by your neighbors. Again, your Michigan Net Metering Policy is getting an “F” for this bad policy.

Michigan Utilities Involved: All rate-regulated utilities and alternative electric suppliers.
Oh Boy, In Michigan, some of the highest cost power is in munis and co-ops. These rules are crafted to allow many over-priced Utility Companies to be outside the rules. That stinks too.

*The “modified” net metering described in S.B. 213 contains provisions that are unfavorable to customer generators, and the billing practices do not meet the definition of net metering as it is practiced in most other states. For that reason, only the “true” net metering component of Michigan’s program is described in detail.

Contact: Governor Jennifer M. Granholm
P.O. Box 30013
Lansing, Michigan 48909
PHONE: (517) 373-3400
PHONE: (517) 335-7858 – Constituent Services
FAX:(517) 335-6863

Contact: Julie Baldwin (Net Metering)
Michigan Public Service Commission
Operations & Wholesale Markets Division
P.O. Box 30221
Lansing , MI 48909
Phone: (517) 241-6115
E-Mail: baldwinj2@michigan.gov
http://www.michigan.gov/netmetering

Contact: Michigan State Representatives:
Leadership in the House is headed by the Speaker of the House, currently Andy Dillon, who makes committee appointments and designates which committee(s) each Representative will serve on.

Here you can find a listing all 110 Michigan Representatives and their contact information, including office phone numbers and e-mail addresses.
http://house.michigan.gov/find_a_rep.asp

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Posted in solar energy, wind energy | 2 Comments »

Oklahoma Energy, Needs Change In Leadership?

Wednesday, December 24th, 2008

If you live in Oklahoma, your state allows Net Metering. But, I encourage you to contact your state representatives, governor, and Public Utility Officials to encourage changes and progress. Because if you compare your state’s policy and law to progressive model states like Colorado, you will see that your rights are stifled by “Big Utility Friendly” policy. Your state’s policy needs serious changes to be on par with a state like Colorado, where the policy favors consumers and taxpayers. Oklahoma taxpayers should be demanding changes.

Your state’s representatives, governor, and public utility commission officials are not in your corner with this “soft policy” on Net Metering. Instead they have the tables turned against green power for businesses and homeowners. Here’s a page with more info about what Net Metering is and what the issues are exactly.

Home Turbine Buyer’s Guide

Oklahoma’s size limits on net metering are problematic, 100 kW or 25,000 kWh/year (whichever is less). Many larger residences and businesses require more power than this. States with ideal net metering policies allow for very large systems, if a business, local government, school district, or consumer wants to put in a large system, the governments policies should encourage, and allow this.

Oklahoma’s treatment of NEG (net excess generated) is also a problem compared to other states with good net metering policy. NEG is granted to utility monthly or credited to customer’s next bill. BUT, this (varies by utility) a standard policy needs to be set, a policy that forces Utilities to buy back at full retail rate, 1 to 1, same as they charge a consumer.

Utilities Involved are Investor-owned utilities, electric cooperatives regulated by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission. This means that there may be Utilities run by community co-op that are not required to support your rights to green energy.

In Oklahoma Net metering has been available in Oklahoma since 1988, under Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) Order 326195. The OCC’s rules require investor-owned utilities and electric cooperatives under the commission’s jurisdiction to file net-metering tariffs for customer-owned renewable-energy systems and combined-heat-and-power (CHP) facilities up to 100 kilowatts (kW) in capacity. Net metering is available to all customer classes. There is no limit on the amount of aggregate net-metered capacity.

A Utility company is not allowed to impose extra charges for customers signed up for net metering. They also cannot require new liability insurance as a condition for interconnection.

Oklahoma Utility companies not required to purchase net excess generation (NEG) from customers. However, a customer may request that the utility purchase NEG. In the utility agrees, then NEG will be purchased at the utility’s avoided-cost rate (which is usually lower than what the power actually costs a consumer.) Other states have policy that requires a FULL RETAIL buy back of your generated power, not Oklahoma, that needs to change. This is another way that big business Utilities and corrupt government officials hold back the progress of home wind power and solar for consumers.

See WindPowerForum Topic For More, Oklahoma Net Metering

Demand Change, Contact:

George Kiser
Oklahoma Corporation Commission
Public Utility Division
2201 N. Lincoln Boulevard
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
Phone: (405) 521-6878
Fax: (405) 522-3371
E-Mail: g.kiser@occemail.com

Office of Governor Brad Henry
State Capitol Building
2300 N. Lincoln Blvd., Room 212
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
Telephone: (405) 521-2342
Fax: (405) 521-3353

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Home Wind Systems Selling in Spite of Soft US Economy

Sunday, December 14th, 2008

Home Wind Systems are Selling well in spite of a soft US economy. Helping homeowners to build and install wind/solar hybrid systems is a really fun way to make a living. We have complete kits of matching components starting at $2450 and going up to whatever size project a customer needs.

wind turbine generator home roof mount rooftop kit

The best selling is the smaller rooftop mounted turbines that connect with a solar panel to give clean reliable power. The cycles of heavy wind season in winter, heavy solar season in summer go hand in hand with our hybrid wind/solar systems.

Home Turbine Buyer’s Guide

You see, since the wind is stronger in the winter months, sun is stronger in the summer months, we designed a system that is attractively priced, that gives an even flow of energy year round. Many interested in home wind power are exploring homegrown junkyard turbines to build yourself. I think it’s great to check out the home grown turbine kits and plans, but they will look like what they are when finished. They will not look like these kits that we sell. For most people, a professionally designed high tech kit is the way to to. It’s way simpler to assemble and put up and is simply more attractive at the home. My starter kits put out far more reliably and will perform much better. Small DIY Wind Turbine Generator Kits

See Small Wind Turbine Tax Credit

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Posted in solar energy, wind energy | 1 Comment »

Spain is (U.S. Leader) in Wind Power Deployed

Sunday, December 14th, 2008

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“The Spanish are coming. The Spanish are coming!”

Iberdrola SA, a Spanish utility is now the second largest producer of wind power in the United States. The company had revenue of $22.8 billion in 2007. (largest producer of wind power in US is Florida Power & Light). Iberdrola currently holds functioning facilities in Brazil, France, Greece, Italy, Mexico, Portugal, Spain, the United States and the United Kingdom, and is continuing to develop wind farms in Europe and Latin America

Recently in 2008, the spanish utility Iberdrola SA invested $1.4 billion to build out new wind power capacity in the U.S. The company invested $1.5 billion in 2007, according to a company statement. These investments represent 780 megawatts of new wind-power capacity in the U.S.

Home Turbine Buyer’s Guide

In September, Iberdrola finalized a $4.5 billion takeover of Energy East (NYSE: EAS) for $4.5 billion, Iberdrola was required by the New York Public Service Commission to build up 100 megawatts of new wind power in New York state. Through this takeover, Iberdrola now owns New York State Electric & Gas Co. NYSEG has 1.7 million upstate customers.

The Spanish wind power industry is on a roll. The Government’s new target would see wind energy supplying 15 percent national electricity consumption, up from 6.5 percent today.

“To dismiss wind energy as an expensive, niche green luxury, as many do, is to ignore what has happened in Spain, the world’s number one wind market”
– Corin Millais, CEO of the European Wind Energy Association

Why Wait, Let’s Go

Currently, wind provides about 1% of US electricity. As we now watch a great opportunity be exploited by foreign investment, America’s might is focussed on bail-out economics and dirty coal/fossil fuel lobbyist control the puppet strings of our US government. Just like the only successfull automobile plants in US are foreign owned and run, now we watch a foreign company take leadership of our wnd power. It’s a disgrace..

Spain is (I think) the most successful with wind power as a percentage of their capacity. So, these guys really do know that the ROI is there, that’s why they aren’t waiting for something else to happen.

The cost of wind power is almost comparable to fossil fuels such as coal, at between 4.5 and 7.5 cents per kilowatt hour, according to FPL Energy, builder of the country’s largest wind farm in Horse Hollow, Texas. But building a wind farm costs more than a fossil-fuel plant – between $1.5m and $2m per megawatt of capacity compared with $800,000 for a natural-gas plant. Once constructed, though, wind plants have no fuel costs compared with coal and natural gas plants.

Whether putting a small system on your roof to run part of your home power, a 40′ tower to power your whole home, or a giant utility scale turbine. If there’s wind resources and you need electricity, the payback is proven. At WindEnergy7.com our sales have over doubled since the government approved the Small Wind System 30% tax credit. But, before that our sales were already brisk. I did not wait on any government assistance to put wind on my home because the payback was already clear.

Personally, since I put my money in wind power for my own home.. My utility announced a 45% increase in electricity cost.. AND, the government approved and announced the Small Wind System 30% tax credit. So my 10 year ROI has gone to about a 5 year ROI from those 2 developments. But, to me, I was happy with the 10 year payback because the systems are developed for a 30 year life before a rebuild. That means worst case I was set to have 20 years of free electricity, right into my retirement years.. I love that.

Anyway, back to Spain. One thing that I have seen is pictures of Spain’s mountain ranges simply polluted with too many towers. Although I am a proponent of wind power, I love the landscape and mountains and it is a shame to see an over use of windpower covering a mountain to the point it ruins the beauty. There should be limits to this. Also, wind power has taken many hits on adoption due to developers putting large Utility Wind towers way to close to homes. These giant wind turbines should never be close to homes, that is a mistake that sets back the progress by causing problems for homeowners. Utility Scale Wind power should be VERY rural IMO. Using wind close to a home should be a quiet unobtrusive small wind system, they are quiet and will not cause any backlash against wind power progress.

To Buy a Wind Turbine or Become a Dealer turbine@windenergy7.com.

Tags: alternative energy, power, spain wind power, us leader in wind power, us wind power, wind power in spain
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University Of Illinois Wind Turbine Cancelled… The Economy.

Sunday, December 14th, 2008

A University Of Illinois plan has been cancelled. Wind Turbine Plan was cut by the administration at the University Of Illinois. The University of Illinois canceled plans to build wind turbines on campus because of the university’s “deteriorating fiscal condition.” Richard Herman, the University Chancellor notified GE and student leaders of the university’s decision to halt the project on Thursday. GE had a contract to build and deliver a 1.5-megawatt wind turbine to be erected on the South Farms. That contract, sent last week to the university, the university officials declined to sign.

Home Turbine Buyer’s Guide

Given the “deteriorating fiscal condition” of the university – the state recently asked the university to hold 2.5 percent of its state appropriation in reserve – “we’ve got to spend money where there’s a rapid payback,” said Dick Warner, a professor in Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences and director of the university’s new Office of Sustainability. The single turbine would have generated about 1 percent of the campus’s energy needs.

“We need to be looking for things that have immediate cost savings,” Warner said. With a return of investment at 7 years or so, a wind turbine represents paying 7 years of electricity up-front. What was a sound idea a few months ago, has turned into a large expenditure to dealy or avoid because of the softening economy. Originally the project called for installing three turbines The wind energy project was announced in 2005. Over the last three years wind turbines demand has pushed prices higher according to the director of engineering services at the university. The project was scaled down from three turbines to one, then the budget was cut down $5.7 million to $4.6 million.

Many University students that were ardent supporters of the wind turbines said they were disappointed, stunned to hear of the project’s demise. “It’s pretty awful. Everyone’s really shocked right now,” said Amanda Schield, president of Students for Environmental Concerns. Her student group rallied support in 2003 for a $2 per-semester fee to be used for clean energy projects on campus, like the turbines. About $300,000 was raised from the fees, then directed for use on the wind energy project. The university would have received a $2 million grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Foundation to help pay for the turbines.

This is really a sad thing when you consider how well that shools have done with wind power projects in Iowa, Illinois, Texas, and elsewhere. They should have adjusted to use WindEnergy7.com Reconditioned Turbines, Remanufactured Turbines, Used Wind Turbines like many other community and school wind projects. The ROI is better and the adjustment may have saved the project from being cut.

Eldora-New Providence School in Iowa wind turbine in 2002!

Iowa, Forest City School has Wind Turbine Too, since 1999!

Wray School District Wind Turbine in Colorado

Ballinger Texas School District Wind Power Project

School District Makes Profit from Wind Energy

School District in Illinois to purchase wind turbines?

To Buy a Wind Turbine or Become a Dealer turbine@windenergy7.com.

Tags: illinois solar, illinois solar decathlon, illinois solar incentives, illinois solar schools, illinois solar tax credit, illinois wind, solar electric illinois, solar energy illinois, solar energy in illinois, solar energy of illinois, solar panels illinois, solar power illinois, solar power in illinois
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STEP 1: Home Wind Turbine 101, Electricity Used and Cost

Saturday, October 18th, 2008

STEP 1: Electricity Used and Cost

This is the first in a series of quick and brief (DIY) Do It Yourself articles from WindEnergy7.com. It is best if you read this series in order because they are written to benefit readers in that way. Our goal is to help educate customers not just sell products. Many customers actually become dealers, because they have learned so much when they are done. The first step in installing a home wind turbine is to determine how much electricity you use in your home or business. Your electrical energy is measured and sold in kilowatt-hours (KWH), so you need to find out how many kilowatt-hours (KWH) you use per month.

On your home, you can read your utility meter, but it’s easier to simply reference your utility bill. The utility bill usually displays a summary of the past year’s electrical usage, maybe an average. If you’re planning new construction, you’ll need to estimate your electrical use. Reviewing your utility bills from your current home or another existing home with a similar range of appliances. The best you can do on new construction is only be a guess, your actual usage may vary considerably.

How Much Electricity: Your main goal for the electrical needs analysis is to come up with the number of KWH per year that you want your wind system to generate. Without this analysis, you’re more likely to end up being unhappy with your investment in wind power.

What Does it Cost: Your second goal is to figure out exactly what this electricity kilowatt-hours (KWH) is costing you. That is critical in doing the return on investment (ROI) of a system. Our goal at WindEnergy7.com is to help people econolmically, to lower your energy costs. So, you will notice this as a big difference in our company and others, we focus heavily on return on investment (ROI). We want to make sure that any money you spend on green energy is a good investment first. It’s great that the environment and planet are saved too, but these systems are usually a great investment in your personal economic future.

Home Turbine Buyer’s Guide

Without knowing your electricity use and costs, you cannot begin to communicate with your WindEnergy7.com dealer about a system. You cannot decide on what would be a good system for you or what it may cost. Most importantly, you cannot connect the dots, financially, to see the savings and payback of your home wind turbine. So, this is our first step of a personal energy systems design. Our goal in these articles is education, to put buyers in a situation to actually help themselves. Our site and products at WindEnergy7.com is designed to be a true (DIY) Do It Yourself resource.

Homework: Find out what your electrical use is in kwH, Find out what you cost per kwH is.

Next Step, Article 2

Tags: a home wind turbine, home built wind turbine, home wind turbine, home wind turbine energy, home wind turbine generator, home wind turbine power, home wind turbines, vertical home wind turbine, wind turbine for home, wind turbine for home use, wind turbines for homes
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Home Turbine

LED Light Bulb And Residential Wind/Solar Systems

Home Wind Turbine, Rooftop Residential Wind Turbines

Texas Energy Policy, Inhibiting Green Energy!

Michigan Energy Policy, Needs Change In Leadership?

Oklahoma Energy, Needs Change In Leadership?

Home Wind Systems Selling in Spite of Soft US Economy

Spain is (U.S. Leader) in Wind Power Deployed

University Of Illinois Wind Turbine Cancelled… The Economy.

STEP 1: Home Wind Turbine 101, Electricity Used and Cost