On Feb 18, 2009, at 5:13 PM, mix...@bigpond.com wrote:
In reply to Horace Heffner's message of Wed, 18 Feb 2009 14:07:28
-0900:
Hi,
[snip]
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/15/business/15novel.html?em
The "energy ball" turbine appears to combine all the disadvantages
of both
types, with none of the advantages.
Yes, and the price tag on all of them is incredible. It must be that
most of the money is for electronics to sell power to the grid?
Windmills of such low power would be useful here in Alaska to drive
resistance heaters for auxiliary heat in the winter. A thermostatic
control circuit to dump unneeded heat to an outdoors resistor might
be of use, but that should be a nominal cost.
Perhaps a lot of the cost is installation, or certification,
licensing and insurance? Perhaps a kit or just easy plans would be
of more use. Where I live a windmill for auxiliary heat would be very
useful provided it could operate without shut down in 80 mph wind and
below -30 degrees F.
The combination of small windmill and solar panel is very effective
here for small off-grid power requirements. About 3 hours a day of
either wind or solar power is fairly reliable - enough so to power
small remote weather stations or to operate some railroad crossing
signals and booms. When the wind dies a high pressure is typically
present, and thus clear skies.
Best regards,
Horace Heffner
http://www.mtaonline.net/~hheffner/
