Wind Turbines
Electricity produced by wind generation can be used directly, as in water pumping applications, or it can be stored in batteries for household usage. Wind generators can be used alone, or they may be used as part of a hybrid system with solar modules - especially useful for winter where cloudy weather and windy conditions occur simultaneously.
The most important decision when considering wind power is determining whether or not your chosen site has enough wind to generate the power for your needs, whether it is available consistently, and if it is available in the season you need it. Wind turbines need to be on relatively high towers - mounting a wind turbine close to the ground is like mounting a solar module in the shade!
This is because the power available from wind varies as the cube of the wind speed - if the wind speed doubles, the power from that wind increases eight times. And wind speed is faster and less turbulent higher above the ground.
Smart Energy can advise on site location, size of turbine and recommended tower height to get the best return on your wind turbine. For small battery charging applications we recommend the 400 watt Air-X Marine, or for domestic or commercial applications, the Bergey XL.1 or Bergey Excel.
Smart Energy has the New Zealand agency for Bergey Wind Turbines - developed in Oklahoma, in the centre of America’s “Tornado Alley”! The Bergey XL.1 wind turbine is rated at 1kW and the Bergey Excel is rated at 7.5kw for battery charging application or 10kW for grid-connected application.
Click here for great information on the Bergey website, or contact us for more information about which wind turbine is right for your application.