SITING

Just as important as the winds, the location of the wind system is very important too.  A Site Analysis should be done to determine the best possible location for the wind system to capture the most available wind.  

A few key issues have to be considered:

  • Terrain
    • Usually the highest point has the best winds, although areas around river valleys, large hills or mountains and large areas of trees can affect the actual site.  That is why it is best to do a wind study.
  • Obstructions (Trees & Buildings)
    • It is generally recommended to install a tower that is a minimum of 30 feet above all obstructions, and to locate the machine at a distance that is twice the height of the obstructions.
  • Prevailing Winds
    • Try to locate the machine in an area where the prevailing winds can get to the machine without any obstruction in front of it.

     

The shortest tower manufactured by WTIC is 80 foot, but as you can see using the chart at the right the higher you go the higher the winds.

For more information about wind speed and production values, please visit our performance page

 

Zoning

You will have to contact the following people to determine if it will be applicable to install a wind system at your site:

  • Soils Engineer
  • Local Building Department
  • Power Company  (if you are installing a Grid Intertie System)

 

Power Company

If you are considering a Grid Intertie system, your power companies policies on Back Feeding or Cogeneration are important if you have excess power to sell back to them.  There is a federal PURPA (Public Utilities Regulatory Policies Act) law which allows Qualifying Facilities to interconnect and sell power to the electric utility companies.

  • Dual Metering

    This is when one meter measures the power purchased from the utility and the second meter measures the power that is sold back to the utility.  This sometimes allows the utility to set a lower rate for the power they are purchasing from you.

     

  • Net Metering

    This is when one meter is used to measure the power that is purchased and sold, this has its advantages and disadvantages. One disadvantage is that there is no credit given for a negative reading.

     

Additional information is available on the AWEA website.

 

State Energy Policies, Programs & Incentives