Photo: Public domain

For a Little While, %19 of the State’s Electricity Came from Wind Power
It looks like the wind is blowing strong these days in Texas. On Sunday Feb. 28th, it broke a wind power electricity generation record with 6,242 megawatts on the ERCOT grid, and that record was broken again 5 days later on Friday March 5th with a 6,272 megawatts peak, and this is just for ERCOT, it doesn’t include wind turbines on the “Panhandle” part of the state because they are… Read the full story on TreeHugger

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This week’s WindEnergyUpdate news roundup includes:  RenewableUK calls for extension of UK’s Renewables Obligation; Sinovel and China’s inaugural national offshore wind project; U.S. senators call for ‘Buy America’ clause in the Clean Energy MTC; Iberdrola Renovables creates offshore wind division; U.S.

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The U.S. DOE and NREL have launched the Midsize Wind Turbine Development Project to help close the existing technology gap and facilitate development and commercialization of midsize wind turbines. The Laboratory is sponsoring workshops in Ohio and Oklahoma, facilitated by Cleveland-based Great Lakes Wind Network, to build awareness of the DOE-NREL Midsize Wind Turbine Development Project and encourage collaboration to assist U.S. manufacturers and wind turbine designers in producing near-term commercial value-engineered midsize turbine prototypes.
Wind is the fastest-growing industry in North America however the use of midsize wind turbines in the U.S. is hampered due to a lack of options and availability in the market. This growth market is a chance for or designers, manufacturers, and component suppliers to join forces to close the technology gap and at the same time build our nation’s midsize wind turbine supply chain.
Workshops will feature networking, panel presentations by turbine designers and manufacturers,
information on NREL’s National Wind Technology Center, and existing and future manufacturing
opportunities.
Cost for each full day event is $95. For sponsorship details contact Mari-Elen Sammon at 216.588.1440 ext. 121. For more information, contact Ed Weston (GLWN) 216.588.1440 ext. 125 or
EWeston@glwn.org or Karin Sinclair (NREL) 303.384.6946 Karin.Sinclair@nrel.gov .
WHEN:
In Ohio, Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Doors Open at 7:30 AM
8:00 AM to 5:00 PM – Networking Reception to Follow
University of Cincinnati -College of Applied Science
2220 Victory Parkway, Cincinnati, OH 45206

In Oklahoma, Thursday, April 8, 2010
Doors Open at 7:30 AM
8:00 AM to 5:00 PM – Networking Reception to Follow
Northeastern State University – Building A – Banquet Room
3100 East New Orleans, Broken Arrow, OK 74014

More about the sponsors:
A WIRE-Net initiative, Great Lakes WIND Network is an international advisory group and network of manufacturers and suppliers whose mission is to grow the wind industry supply chain and increase domestic content to meet the expansion needs of the global wind market.

Residential Wind Power is an excellent means of generating electricity. Currently solar power and wind power are becoming extremely popular all over the world due to the costs of installation being so low and how effective home made energy is.

Residential Wind Power is capable of providing results that will have your full satisfaction and it offers the possibility to easily save up to 75% off your electricity bill.  In some cases you are able to save 100% on your electricity bill, and sell the excess to the power company. It is possible to generate enough required energy needed with just a wind power system but this can also be shared with a solar energy system for even better results. The wind power system would be the better option if you live in an area with windy conditions. A solar power system will work best in sunny conditions however this could differ depending on geographical location. Sometimes the season will not matter especially if you are located close to the equator, here you are able to take advantage of the sun all year round. Other areas like in U.S in Mount Washington are known for a consistency of windy weather. If both the sun and wind are plentiful in your area, you could benefit from the combined power of the two. Assessing the overall metrological conditions of the area where you reside is a good way of determining which resource would be the most suitable.

It is not a difficult task to build a home wind power generator. Any DIY enthusiast is capable of assembling a wind generator – especially with the motivation and dedication behind you to really to steer you in the right direction to conquer this project you would need a step-by-step guide. This type of guide will guide you through the process in a comprehensive manner. The most suitable guide to help will provide details of materials and equipment you may need and step by step instructions, the procedures, and all technical aspects. Once you have the manual you will also need to get your hands on some basic power and tools.

The size of your wind power generator or wind turbine will depend mostly on the individual power requirements of your home. For example, 2000 watts and higher, then a larger wind power generator would be your best choice. But if your requirements are around 700 to 2000 watts of power then a smaller wind turbine or wind generator would be plenty.

If you are thinking about home wind power the most commonly used are the smaller generators rather than the massive industrial type. A larger generator becomes a lot more complex to build and install rather than a smaller one. However this would also depend on how much space you have and on your budget, there is nothing to specify that this couldn’t be achieved at home. If you are looking at building or installing a wind power generator and only have a small amount of space, then it’s advisable to go smaller, at least for the first time.

It’s important with whichever size of wind turbine you choose to go with, that it is constructed properly and that it maintains a strong foundation. For a wind turbine to give great results consider the height as better winds are captured at higher altitudes. A good turbine will guarantee a constant supply of electricity, regardless of the intensity of the wind.

How can we not take advantage of the many benefits we get from using wind power at home, what could be better than clean energy that doesn’t give off harmful emissions, environmentally friendly, installation is very affordable and to top it off its free. Also wind power doesn’t just stop at homes. It is also becoming more common in commercial areas. Today there are lots of office buildings that are already running exclusively off wind power.

A home wind power system is very capable of producing surplus energy. In that case, you could sell that surplus quantity to various utility companies, which are eager to purchase it and earn some extra money. Imagine saving on your elecricity bill, producing clean energy and having the opportunity to sell any surplus energy just by using wind power at home. Bottom line is that there are absolutely no downsides to generating your own electricity derived from wind power. A positive outcome is without doubt what you should only expect.

Residential Wind Turbines are a great way to produce free electricity for your home. Some units can be expensive on startup costs however you must think of a wind turbine as a long term investment – you will be ahead in the long run. If you are not able to finance a wind turbine I strongly suggest that you have a good look at getting your hands on this do it yourself wind turbine kit – it is the most effective design that we have come across as well as being a simple process to build and install, not to mention at $150 the payback period may only take a few weeks!

Still not sure? Why not check out our review on the best wind turbine plans.

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Wind EnergyUpdate goes one-to-one with Blaine Sundwall, director of wind operations and maintenance at Iberdrola Renewables USA, to run through best-in-class strategies for curtailing O&M costs and to gauge the future direction of wind energy regulation in the US.

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“The [wind energy] industry can no longer afford uneven component quality, long lead times for component replacements, and the high costs attached to catastrophic wind turbine failures” states a recent report<

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The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) today issued the following statement from AWEA CEO Denise Bode:

“At a time when the construction unemployment rate is nearly 25% and the manufacturing unemployment rate is 13%, this proposal would cost 50,000 American workers their jobs.

The truth is, by law, Recovery Act grants can only be used to finance projects that are being built in the United States.

This proposal would torpedo one of the most successful job creation efforts of the Recovery Act, which has already preserved half of the 85,000 American jobs in the U.S. wind industry.

Rather than adopt policies that will kill American jobs, Congress should enact policies that will create jobs by encouraging manufacturers to invest in U.S. plants. That means passing a Renewable Electricity Standard now.

The Recovery Act has been creating jobs by helping finance new American wind energy projects that have broken ground or been completed since the Act was passed. The proposed moratorium and legislation would kill this effort and destroy the momentum for one of the few industries that has been creating jobs and economic growth.

It is unfortunate that the proponents of this moratorium and legislation are using a deeply flawed study as the basis for a policy that would destroy tens of thousands of American jobs.

We support the goal of continuing the rapid expansion of U.S. wind manufacturing. More than half of the value of wind turbines used in U.S. wind projects is domestically produced, and that percentage is increasing every year as more turbine makers build U.S. manufacturing capability.   We do not have the capability today to produce 100% of wind turbine components in the U.S., but we can grow our manufacturing base and add 274,000 American jobs if Congress passes a strong Renewable Electricity Standard.”

The design features a solid, spring loaded “wedge-shaped plunger” that combines ease of use with secure fastening. The wedge-shaped plunger easily retracts when inserting the pin into a hole. The angled, ramp-like face of the wedge ensures smooth insertion. Once fully inserted, the plunger springs back up, locking the pin into the application. A vertical face at the rear of the plunger prevents the pin from backing out.
The SLIC Pin, from Pivot Point Inc, Hustisford, Wisc., (pivotpins.com) is intended for use as a semi-permanent quick locking pin in many applications. It replaces other labor intensive fastening combinations such as a clevis pin & cotter pin, a pin and retaining ring, or a nut and bolt.  It is used in the same manner as these other devices, but has an improved function and ease of assembly. The plunger is as strong as a cotter pin. The simple, one-piece design means easier, safer, and faster assembly speeds. It needs no tools, has no sharp ends as do cotter pins, and there are fewer items to purchase and inventory.
The SLIC Pin is especially useful in applications with blind holes, or space constraints, or both, and it quickly and easily inserts from just one side.  Unlike other tedious fastening methods, there is no need to access the other side to secure another fastener such as a cotter pin, a nut or a clip. 
The device can be configured for particular applications.  It can be produced in a clevis pin head style, grab-ring style, or others. The pin comes in several materials and finishes. For more information or Free Samples please contact Pivot Point Customer Service.