Honeywell Windgate wind turbine
Has affordable, practical home wind power generation become a reality?
The Honeywell Windgate wind turbine from EarthTronics may be a contender. EarthTronics and Honeywell Corp developed the Windgate to help homeowners and businesses meet their energy needs, even if they are not located in prime “windy” areas.
In the US, for example, wind suitable for power generation is concentrated on the coasts and in parts of the Midwest. In fact, some estimates indicate that 90 percent of US wind resources average 9 mph (14.5 kph) or less. Most traditional wind turbine designs don’t start spinning until 7 or 8 mph (12 kph); finding a place to install the turbine becomes a major issue.
EarthTronics and Honeywell designed the Windgate to be suitable for installation where the power is being consumed, even in areas with light winds. The Windgate measures just 6 feet (1.8 meters) across and weighs less than 95 lbs (43kg). The turbine can be installed on a house or business rooftop, wall or on a self-standing pole. The Windgate’s design eliminates the geared hub design found in other turbines, and EarthTronics says this allows the unit to run more quietly and with less vibration.
EarthTronics designed the Windgate to start spinning in light winds as low as 2 mph (3.2 kph). To accomplish this, the turbine generates energy using its gearless “free wheeling” Blade Tip Power System, which reduces mechanical resistance and drag. Rim-mounted permanent magnets generate power at the tips of the fan blades - the fastest moving area - instead of at the fan hub as in traditional turbine designs. The efficiency of this design, the company says, allows the Windgate to operate in a greater range of wind speeds (2 to 45 mph, 3.2 to 72.4 kph) than traditional wind turbines. Traditional turbines typically begin turning at 7.5 mph (12.1 kph) and shut down around 29 mph (46.7 kph) to protect their gearing systems. The Honeywell Wind Turbine was designed to operate in a much greater wind range, with a cut-in speed (startup) below 2 mph and a shutdown speed of 45 mph.
The Honeywell Windgate wind turbine comes with a computerized control box, power inverter, and an interconnect switch to wire the system into a household panel. A professional electrician is required for installation and the homeowner must also supply one or more automotive-type batteries to complete the system. Once installed, the Windgate can create up to 2000 kilowatt hours (kW) of power per year, which is about 15 percent of an average household’s energy needs.
The EarthTronics Honeywell Windgate will be available this fall in ACE Hardware stores in the United States for $4,500. EarthTronics says that the turbine’s installed cost is about one third of the cost of traditional turbines, with a lower installed cost per kW than other turbines on the market.
In the US, homeowners are eligible for federal and state rebates that cover anywhere from 30 percent to 100 percent of the overall cost of the turbine, making the Windgate an even more affordable option for personal wind power generation.
Learn more here.
October 22nd, 2009 at 2:47 pm
Al momento de tomar la decisin de comprarle el primer reloj a nuestro hijos uno a veces peca por querer regalarle el mejor de todos, aquellos que cuestan varios euros, pero que no siempre nos aseguran un buen diseo para ellos.