SWIFT and Small Wind

by Timlynn Babitsky
The small wind turbine market is expected to grow by 18-20% through the next two years. When new tax incentives ($1,000 – $4,000 per system) go into effect in January ‘09, that growth will only accelerate. Between tax incentives, rising energy costs and increased environmental consciousness, residential and commercial scale wind turbine demand is already exploding. But until now, small wind systems have disappointed many. (more…)

Red Hot wind…

Timlynn Babitsky | Issues: Strategies & Tactics,Too Darn Tall! | Tuesday, June 10th, 2008

by Timlynn Babitsky
Huge wind turbines are easy to find now across the U S. But smaller residential wind generators, a bit less easy to find, are also appearing across the US landscape. Small Wind is now considered a “tiny but red-hot market.” And about 45 US manufacturers are producing systems to service the small wind market here and abroad. In rural, suburban and even urban areas “small wind” is catching on. (more…)

Outside the box…

Timlynn Babitsky | Issues: Strategies & Tactics,Too Darn Tall! | Wednesday, March 19th, 2008

by Timlynn Babitsky
Complaints around a wind project often focus on the “ugliness” of a tall tower with blades on top, and how it will spoil someone’s view. From the massive four-bladed windmills we see in The Netherlands, to the many bladed water-pumping windmills we still see across rural America, we have come to think of a wind turbine as being the stereotypical Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine (HAWT). If turbine design is a resistance issue for your project, there ARE other turbine designs out there to consider. (more…)

Keeping a Low Profile

Timlynn Babitsky | Too Darn Tall!,Turbines are Ugly! | Friday, February 29th, 2008

by Timlynn Babitsky
If some of your project resistors claim a tall wind turbine is unattractive, or would spoil their view of Nature, the hills, the beach or the sea. Or if your particular small wind project offends neighbors who claim they don’t want to see “that thing” or have it strobe-shade their tomatoes – you might want check into the VAWT advantage. (more…)