This is an archive of articles and news on both large and small wind turbines, wind energy & the environment, and links to topics on the history of wind energy.
I've been working with wind energy since 1976 and my professional experience in the subject runs the gamut from wind resource assessment to installing and testing small wind turbines. I continue to follow the industry and analyze its growth and increasing contribution to renewable electricity generation worldwide.
The review concludes that while some people living near wind turbines report symptoms such as dizziness, headaches, and sleep disturbance, the scientific evidence available to date does not...
Back in December I stopped by the Boston Museum of science and checked out the public display of data from their small wind turbine experiment, and I posted some of the publicly available data here...
William A. Schmitz, Chief Executive Officer of WindTamer Corporation, said that, “The decision of the Board of Directors and me to no longer have Mr. Brock head the research and development of the...
Small Wind in North America, the Good, the Bad, the Ugly; Real Urban Wind & the Community Power Revolution
Have Parisians Drunk the Kool-Aid?[more]
What Small Wind Needs to Make Its Mark
This test was conducted in accordance with Clause 9.4 of the International Electrotechnical Commission’s (IEC) standard, Wind turbines -Part 2: Design requirements for small wind turbines, IEC...[more]
Windgesichter: Aufbruch der Windenergie in Deutschland (The face of wind: Dawn of wind energy in Germany) by Jan Oelker is a joy to behold. It's one of those rare cases where you can indeed tell a...[more]
The Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) has called on the Ontario government to offer feed-in tariffs designed for small wind turbines.[more]
L'énergie du vent : Les éoliennes au service des hommes et de leur planète Is a beautiful coffee-table book with page after page of photos sandwiched between essays on how wind turbines work and how...[more]
Subtitled "A practical guide to small-scale energy production," the book follows ground well trod before and seeks to capitalize on the odd American desire to run their kilowatt-hour meter backwards.[more]
L'éolien au cœur de l'incontournable révolution énergétique is a serious work on wind energy for francophone readers. It is my kind of book, chocked full of drawings, charts, tables, and historical...[more]
Wind Power for Dummies by Ian Woofenden is the mass-market, mainstream book on small wind turbines that the industry has long sought as a measure of respectability. [more]
Wind Power The Danish Way: From Poul la Cour to Modern Wind Turbines is a book written by a who's who of Danish wind power. It's a celebratory book and Danes have a lot to celebrate--a lot to be...[more]
The Nature of Wind Power is another celebratory book on Danish wind power leading up to the climate change conference in Copenhagen in 2009. The Nature of Wind Power is by a leading Danish landscape...[more]
I feared the worst when I saw the title. As an outspoken critic of so-called "Urban" wind and especially the British variety, I thought the book would be destined for the dust bin after the first...[more]
As I am learning, most designers tend to quietly dismiss a project's failings, and don't repeat installations like this. And so, as with folks in the USA not paying attention to the results of the...
The following data is summarized from a presentation by Paul Kühn, Fraunhofer-Institut für Windenergie und Energiesystemtechnik (IWES), at Husum, Germany, March 20, 2010 based on observations of...[more]
The French test site, SEPEN (Site Expérimental pour le Petit Eolien de Narbonne), published a performance report 28 September 2009 on Mariah's 1.2 kW Windspire. The test site is in a windy region in...[more]
A controversial report critical of the wind energy industry from conservative think tank CEPOS was commissioned and paid for by an American think tank with close ties to the coal and oil industries,...
Sierra Club Kern-Kaweah Chapter P.O. Box 3357 Bakersfield, CA 93385 http://kernkaweah.sierraclub.org/ For more information contact: Tony Swan, 661 363 5106 25th Annual Walk May 8th,...[more]
In a normal wind year, Danish wind turbines generate the equivalent of approx. 20 percent of the Danish electricity demand. . .
On November 19 and 20th, 2009 York University sponsored a workshop on Spain's experience with feed-in tariffs and the large-scale integration of renewable energy. Hugo Lucas Porta describes...[more]
by a Who's Who of Danish Windpower experts--an authoritative rebuttal to the wild claims of CEPOS, a so-called Danish think tank. . .
Article claiming that McMaster improved the VAWTs performance 50% based on wind tunnel tests, according to Dr. Stephen Tullis, leader of the research project and Assistant Professor at McMaster.[more]
Energy Self-Reliant States: Second and Expanded Edition by John Farrell and David Morris came out in October, 2009 and it packs a punch. I chewed on it a little at the time but wanted to delve...[more]
Finally, after decades of effort, the American Wind Energy Association has established performance and safety standards for small wind turbines.[more]
You have to give them credit, small turbine manufacturers are a competitive lot, especially small VAWT suppliers. They are tripping over themselves to see who can win the award for worst turbine...[more]
Mike Nelson call this the worst turbine install in history. It certainly ranks right up there with some recent installations by Mariah, a Vertical-Axis Wind Turbine manufacturer.[more]
Portugal's national grid operator, REN, announced at a workshop in late November that wind generation delivered 71% of the nation's electricity on November 15, 2009. REN estimates that wind will...[more]
Below is a tabular list of the micro and mini wind turbines tested at the Wulf Test Field and the type of tests performed. [more]
During the winter of 1998 through the spring of 1999, I installed equipment to measure the power curve of first mini and then eventually micro wind turbines. The description of this effort and the...[more]
Poor Albert Betz, the German physicist must be turning over in his grave. He's been beaten yet again.[more]
Specifically, neither the view of the wind facilities nor the distance of the home to those facilities is found to have any consistent, measurable, and statistically significant effect on home sales...
The present research collected data on almost 7,500 sales of singlefamily homes situated within 10 miles of 24 existing wind facilities in nine different U.S. states. . . Specifically, neither the...
Again, data collection was not completed with the last wind speed bin (14 m/s) not filled. In both configurations, the inverter experienced failures and the tests were not finished.[more]
I appreciate the vote of confidence in the Small Wind Certification Council's board of directors in appointing me to the Council. It is an honor to be nominated to be part of the commercialization of...[more]
Several misunderstandings and myths have arisen due to the characteristics of wind generation, particularly because wind-energy generation only occurs when the wind is blowing. . .
Presentation by Paul Gipe for ASES Solar 2009
Presentation by Paul Gipe for CanWEA 2009 Conference, Toronto, Ontario. Includes a summary of feed-in tariffs for small wind turbines worldwide and a review of small wind program performance in the...
The turbine had failed sometime in the spring of 2009. We were living in Canada for most of the spring and early summer. When we returned it was the fire season and we didn't drive onto the site...[more]
First, here’s a view of the installation from the north bank of the Charles river,
The review concluded that there is no evidence of noise-induced health effects at levels emitted by wind turbines . . .
Danish Renewable Energy Policy by Preben Maegaard recounts the historic development of Danish policy from the perspective of one its participants. Maegaard, director of the Nordic Folkecenter for...[more]
Mag-Wind is back. Grab your children. Bar the door. The dead walk. . . Worse Ed Begley and Jay Leno, those omnipresent endorsers of all things "green", have leapt to the aid of the undead. Their...[more]
I've reviewed the series of preproduction wind turbine designs from Earthtronics twice before. See below.[more]
Long-time renewable energy advocate Paul Gipe was selected by the Canadian Wind Energy Association for its Individual Leadership Award at its 2009 conference in Toronto September 22. The Canadian...[more]
Ducted or shrouded wind turbines have been invented and reinvented throughout the 20th century.[more]
A podcast interview with Paul Gipe, author of Wind Energy Basics
Contains a very good summary of wind penetration in Europe.
Rebuttal of the Centre for Policy Studies' (CEPOS) so-called report on wind energy in Denmark.
A podcast interview with Paul Gipe
This article explores the threats that wind farms pose to birds and bats before briefly surveying the recent literature on avian mortality and summarizing some of the problems with it. . .
Confirms That Rooftop Mounting Doesn't Deliver[more]
One of the most spectacular developments of industrial wind power technology occurred in the Zaan district, a region situated just above Amsterdam in the Netherlands. . . From 1600 to 1750, when the...
This is a book that was done right. It was written by the right people for the right reasons and printed on quality paper in full color.[more]
The World Wind Energy Association's "Wind Energy International 2009/2010" landed on my desk with a reassuring thump. I picked it up simply to move it somewhere else until I could get time to thumb...[more]
Press release using a common ploy to confuse amateurs by announcing UL certification. UL only certifies electrical performance not whether the wind turbine will work as a wind turbine or work well at...[more]
Shame on Pierpont for using such deceit to prop up her case. Shame on the Independent for not even bothering to read the Pierpont website carefully enough to detect this poorly concealed...
This study provides no conclusive evidence that wind turbines have an effect on health or are causing the set of symptoms described here as "wind turbine syndrome". The study design was weak, the...
Scams, Frauds, & Flakes--Tell-Tale Signs[more]
Anti-wind activists often claim that nuclear is more reliable than wind energy and, therefore, we should just use nuclear and forget wind energy, solar energy, and renewables in...[more]
Performance monitoring of rooftop wind turbines in Great Britain
If further proof is needed that mounting wind turbines on rooftops is a bad idea, the final report on the Warwick Wind Trials is it.[more]
The time for that choice is now. Do we allow our health to suffer by continuing to rely on coal? Do we gamble on nuclear? Or do we choose a less harmful path toward renewable energy? How do we...
The document below is a scanned copy of Adopt an Anemometer: A Unique Anemometer Loan Program created circa 1980 by the Center for Alternative Resources for the US Department of Energy. The...[more]
This is a quick survey of some of the sources for wind turbine performance statistics, that is, how many turbines, how many MW, and how much electricity they produce. There are no doubt more...[more]
The Muncie (Indiana) Star recently reported that the Delaware County Redevelopment Commission awarded almost $1 million to a relatively little known German company.[more]
It was interesting to compare the behavior of the various turbines.
The Boston, Massachusetts, Museum of Science, is installing a rooftop Wind Turbine Lab in the summer of 2009.
One of the small wind turbines selected for testing was Mariah Power's Windspire Giromill. The Windspire is a 1.2-kW vertical-axis wind turbine. The turbine tower is 9.1 meters tall, and its rotor...[more]
Data on actual measured performance of small wind turbines at the Test Field for Small Wind Turbines in Zeeland, the Netherlands. The site has a very low average wind speed of only 3.8 m/s during the...[more]
Yes, windmills and dams deface the landscape but the climate crisis demands immediate action. . .
I've been putting off writing anything about the "Energy Ball" simply because there are too many of these "inventions" for one person to track, analyze, and report on. Like many of these...[more]
Conclusion? Again, it's unlikely that this wind turbine will produce the reported generation anywhere in Michigan by a large margin.[more]
So, which concerns are real and which aren't? Let's investigate whether utility-scale wind energy is as green and economical as the industry and politicians paint it. . .
The known and well-documented health effects from coal use and the threat that climate change poses to humans and other species must be weighed against the unproven links between wind turbines and...
The Skystream uses a 3.72-meter diameter, three-blade, downwind rotor. Southwest Windpower claims that this rotor will deliver 1.8 kW at its rated speed of 9 m/s and generate 4,800 kWh per year at an...[more]
Twice now on our way to Pearson International Airport in Toronto we've passed two Skystreams in operation at a shopping center. They've both been operating both times. That's plus, we need a lot more...[more]
An excellent primer on why wind energy (and solar PV) needs feed-in tariffs. . .
An excellent primer on the value and integration of wind into utility systems.
Presentation at the CanWEA conference i 2007 by S. Tullis at McMaster University.[more]
A thorough analysis of the concept by an experienced renewable energy journalist.
The Michigan Economic Development Corporation supported the project with a $400,000 grant.
Opposition to wind power used to be the province of NIMBY’s who quailed at the supposed intrusion into their viewsheds and soundsheds. No more. Wind power is big — its share of U.S. electricity...
Another insightful analysis by Craig Morris of the American Spectator's "critique" of renewable energy . . .
[W]hen wind turbines are operated as parts of an interconnected grid for which the dominant share of energy is provided by generators burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas), wind power...
Dr. David Colby doesn't doubt that some people are bothered by the noise generated by a wind turbine, but the acting medical officer of health for Chatham-Kent says there's no direct link between...
The Danes have an expression, as do most European cultures, to wish one good fortune on parting. The expression comes from the days of sail: God Vind or Good Wind! The wind is good in Denmark, and...[more]
Gaia-Wind II kW--Power curve and annual energy output
Lansing, Michigan
James Lovelock says the government’s enthusiasm for wind farms approaches fascism.--By George Monbiot in the Guardian . . .
In summary, wind power prices are comparable to those of fossil fuel ppower plants, but (i) that price is guaranteed not to change over the next 20 years, (ii) when wind is blowing, it brings down...
On Noise from Wind Turbines and Wild Claims
Product brochure by a British company for Cleanfield's 3.5 kW VAWT shown on an unusual monopole tower. To my knowledge the Cleanfield turbine was never certified under the British FIT program. This...[more]
Two videos of Cleanfield VAWTs spinning. The first shows two of its small VAWT on the roof of a what looks like a school in Ontario, Canada. The second shows a group of five turbines at an airport in...[more]
Wind Power: Renewable Energy for Home, Farm, & Business (2004) Corrections If you find further errors or want to suggest changes or corrections, post a message to Paul Gipe. Your help is...[more]
Praise for Wind Power: Renewable Energy for Home, Farm, & Business (2004) by Paul Gipe Advance Praise "If you only buy one book on wind energy, make it this one. . . Paul Gipe has made a great...[more]
There are a several sources of information for landowners on the typical terms and conditions for leasing land for wind energy development. The newest is by the Ontario Sustainable Energy Association...[more]
Juliette Jowit The Guardian, Tuesday 13 January 2009 Home wind turbines are generating a fraction of the energy promised by manufacturers, and in some cases use more electricity than they make, a...[more]
Arne Kildegaard on the Merit Order Effect
As the title suggests, this version of Chelsea Green's original 1999 version expands the scope to include commercial-scale wind turbines used in distributed applications. As such, this book includes...[more]
Stewart Russell captured these photos of a Mariah Windspire installed at the College School in St. Louis. Stewart is an experienced wind hand and noted that the Windspire, which is an unguyed,...[more]
Britain's Renewable Devices introduced its "Swift" micro turbine several years ago to criticism that its estimates of annual production were inflated. See Roof Top Over the Top in Britain. Since then...[more]
It's unlikely that this wind turbine will produce the reported generation anywhere in Michigan.[more]
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Presentation on Integrating Renewable Electricity into the Grid by a French authority on renewable energy. Chabot's conclusion: Think Big! We already have the technology we need to go to 100% RE.
Any wind turbine and tower that cannot be safely lowered to the ground for servicing should have a fall arresting system for ascending, descending, and working atop the tower, a sturdy work platform,...[more]
I knew Terry Mehrkam. I wrote about him. I also wrote his obituary. I hope I never have to write another obituary about someone working on a wind turbine.[more]
Or How to Increase the Power of the Skystream 3.7 with the Stroke of a Pen[more]
October 30, 2008 Despite rumors to the contrary in the Anglophone world, French wind energy development is continuing. In fact growth is accelerating according to data published by France Énergie...[more]
Despite rumors to the contrary in the Anglophone world, French wind energy development is continuing. In fact growth is accelerating according to data published by France Énergie Éolienne, the French...[more]
Press release touting the hiring of an engineer from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario as a specialist in wind energy in urban areas.[more]
The following tables are provided as a public service. Feedback is welcome. [more]
Finally, a detailed-some would argue exhaustive-treatment of how to build your own backyard wind turbine. The authors, do-it-yourselfers who actually know what they're doing, are the powers behind...[more]
AeroVironment has installed 20 units of its AVX 1000 rooftop turbines on a building at Boston's Logan International Airport. The 20 kW installation, part of what AeroViron[ment calls its...[more]
This is a classic example of how not to install wind turbines to best advantage. The best that can be said about this installation is that at least they were not mounted on top of the building.[more]
(ASPO US Sacramento)
Lansing, Michigan
I thought I'd comment on the technical feasibility of the plan, and the underlying economics of such an endeavour. . .
The World Wind Energy Association presented its 2008 World Wind Energy Award to Paul Gipe at its 7th annual conference. The trade association also elected Gipe to its board of directors. Gipe shared...[more]
Consultants to the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative have issued a damning report on the performance of small wind turbines installed under the MTC's subsidy program.[more]
WWEA Conference, opening plenary session, Kingston, Ontario
Presentation by Paul Gipe for the Interstate Renewable Energy Council, June 2008
opposition to wind farms on the basis of potential adverse health consequences is not justified by the evidence. . .
Washington, DC
Specifically to inventors of vertical axis wind turbines and rooftop wind 'technology breakthroughs'
Despite the problem among the thousands of medium-size turbines in the Altamont Pass, there's little data on the impact from single medium-size turbines, small clusters of machines, or small wind...[more]
February 25, 2008 Below is summary of principle characteristics of mini- and household-size Vertical Axis Wind Turbines on the international market. It is not intended to include every VAWT marketed...[more]
Related to the interest in rooftop mounting of small wind turbines is that of integrating wind turbines into the building structure itself.[more]
Below is summary of principle characteristics of mini- and household-size Vertical Axis Wind Turbines on the international market. It is not intended to include every VAWT marketed worldwide.[more]
Cleanfield’s first prototype small-scale Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT) has been tested in the wind tunnel at National Resources Canada’s laboratory in Ottawa.[more]
Applachian State University has tested a number of wind turbines at its Beech Mountain Small Wind Research and Demonstration Facility. ASU has published reports on both performance and noise. It is...[more]
Portion of a presentation made January 10, 2008 to Al Gore's Solutions Summit To significantly address the United State's contribution to climate change and to prepare for the diminishing supply of...[more]
Tests on the Whisper H40 at Applachian State University's Beech Mountain Small Wind Research and Demonstration Facility by Brent Summerville confirm earlier power curve tests on the H40 at the Wulf...[more]
Tests on the Air X at Applachian State University's Beech Mountain Small Wind Research and Demonstration Facility by Brent Summerville differ inexplicably with power curve tests on the Air X at the...[more]
How to say yes to wind energy. . .
Debunked by the Canadian Wind Energy Association
Portail de l'énergie en Région wallonne
1% to 38% of supply[more]
We installed an Air Breeze at the request of Southwest Windpower in mid December. The turbine was provided by SWP at no charge. We are testing the turbine pro bono.[more]
Grid integration of renewable energy, especially wind energy, is a controversial topic-and has been for nearly three decades. Frankly, I think the subject has been beaten to death and for my part the...[more]
The following documents were made available to the public in Great Britain. They refer to the field trials of several dozen micro and mini wind turbines installed on buildings in urban and rural...[more]
The Air X s/n ABeta004 was installed for noise testing in December 2003. It ran unattended until the fall of 2007 when it failed.[more]
Presentation by Stephen Tullis, McMaster University.[more]
In this presentation, Stephen Tullis of McMaster University calls attempts to use Vertical-Axis Wind Turbines in urban environments "promising," but notes they are too new to conclude much.[more]
Audubon strongly supports properly-sited wind power as a clean alternative energy source that reduces the threat of global warming. . .
The Wulf Test Field is situated at latitude 35° 4'20.64"N and longitude 118°23'40.12"W and is at an elevation of 4,600 feet (1,400 m) on the north facing flanks of the Tehachapi Mountains in the...[more]
Technical paper by S. Tullis and his students at McMaster University examining the wind flow around and over buildings. The work was funded by the Ontario's Centres of Excellence.[more]
Another technical article by S. Tullis on what was the Cleanfield 3.5 kW VAWT.[more]
Another research paper by S. Tullis and his students at McMaster Univeristy. The paper acknowledges funding from the Ontario Centres of Excellence and Cleanfield Energy.[more]
Moncton, New Brunswick
Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada
Université de Moncton, Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada
Université de Moncton, Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada
Lansing, Michigan
The building houses exhibition on water and now on energy. There are two wind turbines installed on the roof as shown in the photos below.[more]
In 2005, the latest year for which figures are available, the alliance [Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound] took in almost $3.3 million in donations, including $1.1 million from oil magnate Bill...
Cleveland's Great Lakes Science Center installed a 225 kW Vestas V27 wind turbine in 2006 on the city's harbor front between the Cleveland Brown's football stadium and the science museum. The V27 is...[more]
For more than a decade, senior environmental leaders in North America have been waiting for Germany's renewable energy market to collapse, an expectation tinged with schadenfreude.[more]
Community Wind--The Third Way--Wind Energy As If People Matter
The pyramids have always been thought to contain some magical power. Maybe they do. Maybe Mag-Wind has found a way to tap into this magical power, because they certainly are not going to get much...[more]
Presentation to CanWEA's 2007 Conference
Based on these findings, [the British] Government does not consider there to be a compelling case for further work into AM [Aerodynamic Modulation] and will not carry out any further research at this...
This book serves as a guide to the many legal issues faced by farmers and rural landowners who seek to develop wind energy projects. . .
Various estimates of the running costs of large wind turbines. . .[more]
The following worksheets were developed for the Ontario Sustainable Energy Association and the Toronto Renewable Energy Cooperative in 2007 for the report Renewables without Limits: Moving Toward...[more]
Performance testing of the Cleanfield VAWT in the 9 m NRC wind tunnel. The test results showed nothing unusual and because they were performed in a wind tunnel are not considered comparable to real...[more]
Has something happened to the water in Britain since they privatized the water companies? Someone should check because the British government has gone berserk.[more]
Miguel Mendonça's Feed-in Tariffs takes his place alongside Craig Morris' Energy Switch in explaining the success of Feed-In Tariffs to English speakers. Feed-in Tariffs joins a growing list of...[more]
Lansing, Michigan
The North American Market is Like a Bucking Bronco at a Texas Rodeo--"Yee Ha! Ride Em Cowboys!"
The effect seems much less marked – if at all – for detached houses. The research also highlighted that, to some extent, wind farm developers are themselves avoiding the problem by locating their...
Le Grand Livre de l'Éolien est le livre de référence pour tous les acteurs du secteur et pour tous ceux qui souhaitent y prendre part à l'avenir. Il donne au lecteur une vue exhaustive sur une des...[more]
Le Grand Livre de l'Éolien est le livre de référence pour tous les acteurs du secteur et pour tous ceux qui souhaitent y prendre part à l'avenir. Il donne au lecteur une vue exhaustive sur une des...[more]
Another version of the paper by S. Tullis and his students at McMaster University on the wind tunnel tests of Cleanfield's 3.5 kW VAWT.[more]
The following is a response to an article written by Paul Gipe in July 2005 titled Beating Swords into Wind Turbines-or Solar Panels if You Like that argued if an equivalent amount of money had...[more]
At 8 pm on January 12, 2007 Danish wind turbines produced 58% of total Danish consumption or 2725 MW of a 4735 MW load. There is 3,100 MW of Danish wind turbines on line. Danish turbines produced...[more]
The following is an open letter by Hugh Piggot to BWEA calling for action on the unsubstantiated claims by promoters of rooftop wind turbines in Britain. Hugh Piggott is one of the world's most...[more]
by Frank Sensuss, Massimo Genose, Mario Ragwitz (on the Merit Order Effect)
Greg Pahl's idea of shifting the debate from Not In My Back Yard to Please, In My Back Yard with community ownership is an idea whose time has come. That's the central theme of his The Citizen...[more]
The Midwest Wind Integration Study, which was required by the Minnesota legislature in 2005 to evaluate reliability and other impacts of higher levels of wind generation, found that the total...[more]
Hugh Piggott is one of the English-speaking world's true experts on small wind turbines, especially for off-the-grid applications. [more]
Ok, we liked this book because it has lots of pictures: pictures of wind turbines, pictures of people, pictures of a Danish table cloth, all sorts of pictures. We admit it. We also liked it because...[more]
Ollivier is journalist living in southern France's Languedoc-Roussillion region, the country's premier wind resource area. As a journalist, Ollivier is all-too-familiar with the controversy...[more]
Volkmar Lauber is one of the world's pre-eminent academics specializing in renewable energy policy. Lauber, a professor political science at the University of Salzburg, writes fluenty in English,...[more]
Massive. That's the first word that comes to mind when picking up the 600-page tome by John Twidell and Tony Weir. Of course the broad subject of renewable energy deserves the treatment and I can't...[more]
The World Wind Energy Association (WWEA) issued a bilingual CD-ROM on wind energy at its New Delhi conference in 2006. [more]
Yes, Franz Alt's powerful little book is in German. And yes there's perhaps only 100 million native German speakers in the world. But that's no excuse for ignoring this book. With rudimentary German...[more]
Adapted from Wind Energy Comes of Age, by Paul Gipe, John Wiley & Sons, 1995. All rights reserved. Much of this was written in 1993 and relied on reports published in the early 1990s. Studies...[more]
There is no one setback from residences for large wind turbines in California. Setbacks are regulated by individual counties. In 2006, the University of California at Davis did a survey of setback...
Stewart C. Russell sent these photos of a Windsave installation in Scotland. The turbine is near his parents house and is installed on an expensive home. Note the sheltering effect from both the...[more]
I am a retired IBM engineer living in a very remote area of Alaska who is hooked on renewable energy. I am not soliciting advice just merely passing along some photos and very limited experiences you...[more]
First, they raise questions about the role of wind as a source of electricity against America's main source of electric power today - coal, much of which is mined and burned in Appalachia. Second,...
Robert Skarski died in 1993 while installing a small wind turbine at his Illinois home. He was killed when the tower he was on buckled and fell to the ground. [more]
This is an exchange on a message board by a student engineer at McMaster University displaying the VAWT they had developed and installed on a rooftop of the campus in Hamilton, Ontario. This VAWT...[more]
Neue Energie, 8/2006, reports that where in the past German projects would contain 30 to 40 turbines, the trend is toward projects with fewer turbines, from three to six each. The reason is not...[more]
New Energy reports (2/2006) that on 16 February, 2006 during the peak of consumption in Spain at 9:25 pm, Spanish wind turbines delivered 20% of total generation. This was during a period of low...[more]
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin
How North America Can Learn From Renewable Energy Success Stories in Europe[more]
With the flap in early July about roof top wind hype in Great Britain, I was surprised to find the controversy dogging my steps into the Sierra Nevada.[more]
Your claims cannot be substantiated by the data made available to the public and it is likely they cannot be verified in the field. [more]
We returned to the site to remove the turbine for repair. The blades were removed without incident. However when removing the generator-yaw assembly the entire assembly came off in my hands without...[more]
he U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service has a long history of testing wind turbines at its research station near Bushland, Texas. They do good work. They're fair and...[more]
For a review of Wind Energy Handbook by Tony Burton and for ordering information see Wind Energy Handbook. [more]
Event Draws Attention to Pacific Crest Trail in the Tehachapi Pass Event Held 21 Years in 2006![more]
You can't get something for nothing. North Americans who think a micro or mini wind turbine will meet all their household consumption are in for a rude surprise. A wind turbine with a rotor 1-2...[more]
Urban wind turbines. The image is immediately appealing. Most people live in cities. Most people want to use wind and solar energy. Thus, there must be ways for those living in cities--urbanites--to...[more]
Newcomers to wind energy and even some old-timers who should know better often equate the size of a wind turbine to it's generator rating. A Vestas V80 for example is rated at 1.8 MW; a V82 is rated...[more]
Are you one of the many people who have read or heard that the next generation of roof mounted wind turbines will provide all the electricity needs of the average semi in the UK?
Why You Shouldn't Do It[more]
University of Quebec a Rimouski, Rimouski, Quebec, Canada
December 4, 2005 Typical of rooftop turbines, the rotor is tied down on this non-operating WE-10 Algaier turbine in Holzhausen, Rheinland-Pfalz, 2005. The turbine is noteworthy in its own right. The...[more]
News item from McMaster University's student newspaper announcing the development of a Vertical-Axis Wind Turbine.[more]
(in English), University of Quebec a Rimouski, Colloque Eolienne Eloigne
Long-time wind energy advocate Tore Wizelius is one of the Swedish pioneers of the technology. Finally his thoughtful book on wind energy and its integration into communities is now available to...[more]
Government report says Ontario coal-fired power plants cost nearly $0.13 CAD/kWh ($0.10/kWh) in environmental and social impacts. Ontario's ruling party swept to power in the fall of 2003 on...[more]
The renewable lists buzz with discussions about net metering. Renewable's advocates spend hours, days, years even trying to implement net metering over utility objections. Why bother? Net metering is...[more]
Antigonish, Nova Scotia
Wind Power in Power Systems is edited by the very capable Thomas Ackermann. It is a massive 691 pages on the status of modern wind turbines and how they are integrated into power systems. The book...[more]
For New Zealand's Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Ottawa, Ontario
Selsam's SuperTwin had operated unattended from March 2008 through sometime in the spring of 2009.[more]
Loretto, Pennsylvania
Regaining Control by Cutting Demand and Increasing Renewable Energy--Not Quick, Not Cheap, Not Easy But Worth Every Cent
At least several times a year, yet another announcement about a “technological breakthrough” arrives in my e-mail box. Invariably, the device being “unveiled” is a vertical axis wind turbine, and in...
Even with the added costs to deal with intermittency, wind is roughly competitive with other generation technologies under a strong carbon constraint.
Centre for Alternative Technology Machynlleth, Wales I was visiting a planning office in Sydney, and a scrap of paper pinned to the wall caught my eye. It bore a short poem headed "The...[more]
Centre for Alternative Technology Machynlleth, Wales Let's get a few things straight at the beginning. Obviously the debate hinges on both the gravity and urgency of the climate change situation....[more]
Centre for Alternative Technology Machynlleth, Wales Dear Editor While I appreciate the sincerity and good intentions of Rob Collister's cri de coeur regarding wind farms in May/June...[more]
When wind serves upwards of 60 percent of demand, the model chooses to install more GT than GTCC capacity because the lower rates of gas utilization dictate the use of lower efficiency, lower...
The Resource Management Act, plans developed under it, and RMA processes are capable of facilitating wind energy development and of dealing with the range of effects associated with a wind farm....
In response to an announcement about a hike among wind turbines in California's Tehachapi Pass a question was raised about the use of wind turbines in or around parks or other public use areas. The...[more]
In 25 years of wind generation, with 68,000 turbines now worldwide, there are no significant reports of health issues. This includes Denmark, whose turbine density is 30 times that of the UK.
We find that, with somewhat optimistic assumptions about the cost of wind turbines, the use of wind to serve 50% of demand adds ~1-2¢/kWh to the cost of electricity, a cost comparable to that of...
This article reviews some planning and financial conditions facing wind power development in the UK. Overall the 2002-2003 period has seen a big increase in planning consents. . .
Stewart knows what he's talking about. He's a pro.
The report, authored by leading experts in the field, summarizes the potential of five sources of renewable energy – wind, hydropower, biomass, geothermal and solar. It analyzes the economic...[more]
A much anticipated update on wind turbines and birds in California's Altamont Pass concludes that the problem is more severe than once believed. The report by biologists Carl Thelander and Sean...[more]
Ion Paraschivoiu is Aeronautical Chair Professor at École Polytechnique de Montréal and he brings to the cornucopia of new books on wind energy his specialty: Darrieus turbines. Like David Spera in...[more]
It's been many years since the publication of new engineering texts on wind energy. But in 2001 a flood of new books in English began flowing from publishers: two substantial volumes by John Wiley &...[more]
The Wind Energy Handbook is one of a trio of big wind energy books by John Wiley & Sons'UK office. After a dearth of new wind energy titles in English for nearly a decade, suddenly there are two...[more]
Winds of Change by Rinie van Est is a masterly work of meticulous research that could well become a classic in its field. It should be required reading for all energy planners, and energy industry...[more]
The book, edited by Robert Gasch, began as course notes for Gasch's popular course on wind turbine design for engineering students at the Technische Universität in Berlin. Many of the book's 15...[more]
"Free, and Still too Expensive" opens Molenaar's doctoral thesis on designing variable speed wind turbines. Molenaar's work is not for the faint of heart. Much of it is well beyond my skill level....[more]
Gipe has condensed more than two decades of working with and writing about wind energy into Wind Power: Renewable Energy for Home, Farm, and Business. An extensive revision of his successful earlier...[more]
Adapted from the book Wind Power: Renewable Energy for Home, Farm, and Business. When I wrote my first book on wind energy in 1982, I believed most homeowners with a modicum of tool skills...[more]
The Measurement of Low Frequency Noise at Three UK Wind Farms--Of the 126 wind farms operating in the UK, five have been reported low frequency noise problems. Therefore, such complaints are the...
On October 16, 2003 a 25-year old technician fell inside a 100-meter tall Enercon E66 tower, struck his head, and died according to an account in a local German newspaper. The man, unnamed in the...[more]
December 8, 2003 by Paul Gipe For an explantion of the following chart see the article on measuring power curves. Though some of the turbines do not meet their manufacturer's advertised power...[more]
Only two dead birds were found, one in spring and one in autumn. . . The rate of mortality is absolutely insignificant when compared to the thousands that are killed each year in Toronto at tall...
Note: The Sierra Club is a grass roots or member-driven environmental organization in the United States founded by the naturalist John Muir. It has about 700,000 members nationwide. The Club has...[more]
Simple Rules for Small Wind Turbine Design by Michael Klemen used with permission. [more]
Specifications of Small Wind Turbines at Wulf Test Field Rotor Swept Rated Number Approx. Tip Speed Tip Speed Turbine Dia. Area Power of rpm m/s Ratio m m2 W Blades @ 8 m/s @ 10...[more]
Cruising World Noise Measurements Turbines Rotor Swept Rated SPL* Tested Dia. Area Power @11 knots m m2 W dBA Rutland 913 0.91 0.65 70 75 Ampair 100 0.92 0.66 50 78 Air 403 1.17 1.08...[more]
Summary of Small Wind Turbine Noise Measurements at Wulf Test Field in dBA Hub Reference Slant Sound Projected Projected Turbine Height Position Distance SPL Power 100 to 45...[more]
Comparison of Noise from Small & Selected Medium-Size Wind Turbines ECN/Van der Borg Difference Turbine Rotor Swept Rated Tip Speed Sound Power Data Projection @ 8 m/s...[more]
Air 403 Ambient Noise. Air 403 Noise. Linear regression trend and data for Air 403 charging a constant load. NREL's Arlinda Huskey notes that the data suggests turbine noise begins to level off...[more]
Ampair 100 Noise Ambient. Ampair 100 Noise Charging. Ampair 100 Noise Unloaded. Ampair 100 Noise Summary. [more]
There was generally good agreement with the measurement of ambient conditions for the three seperate tests. Note that the ambient for the Ampair and Air 403 tests was higher than that for the...[more]
BLM Wind Energy Programmatic EIS Scoping Argonne National Laboratory EAD/900 9700 S. Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL 60439 RE: Scoping Session, November 3, Sacramento, California The following...[more]
BWC 850 Ambient Noise. Linear regression trend and data from one-minute Leq with the turbine parked. Copyright 2001 by Paul Gipe. All rights reserved.[more]
An edited version of this article appeared in the Summer 2003 (Vol. 16, No. 3) edition of WindStats. With 270 people--including New Zealand's minister for energy-- attending the dedication of...[more]
The following article appeared in an edited form in Renewable Energy World's July—August 2003 (Vol. 6 No.4) issue. As turbines grow beyond the 2-MW threshold, it appears that all...[more]
The following article appeared in an edited form in Renewable Energy World's July—August 2003 (Vol. 6 No.4) issue. Windenergie Report Deutschland 2002 by Institut für Solare...[more]
Paul Gipe reports on the latest study of the world wind market by Denmark's BTM Consult.[more]
Gustavo de Marsillac Peña presented the findings from a series of laboratory tests on an Air 403 at the American Wind Energy Association's annual conference this week in Austin, Texas.[more]
After accounting for comparable sales outside the viewshed of the wind farms selected, defined as beyond five miles (8 kilometers) from the turbines, the study found that viewshed property generally...
The following article appeared in an edited form in the Spring 2003 issue of WindStats Newsletter (Vol. 16 No. 2) under the title British lessons to avoid anti-wind conflict—a best practice...[more]
Background Since the first National Energy Act, tax credits have been the mechanism used in the United States to subsidize or stimulate wind energy. Through 1985 the tax credits were based on...[more]
"Wind Energy and Wind Turbines," by Vaughn Nelson and the AEI staff.[more]
Both versions of the AirX monitored at the Wulf Test were qualitatively and quantitatively quieter than the Air 403.[more]
Tests during 2002 at the Wulf Test Field demonstrate that the AirX fails to meet the manufacturer's power curve by a wide margin.[more]
Links to more information on small wind turbines.[more]
Wind turbines in California produce about 1% of the states electricity. The Tehachapi Wind Resource Area accounts for almost half of that. Altogether the turbines in Tehachapi produce enough...[more]
Extensive treatise on the development, manufacture, and use of multiblade, mechanical farm windmills in France during the 19th century.
by Paul Gipe October, 2002 in a posting to awea-wind-home news group. Mike is Michael Klemen, Bos is Ken Bosley. Mike, Am I missing something? I haven't followed this closely and I may have missed...[more]
The Sierra Club has long advocated the expanded use of renewable sources of energy, including wind energy. The Club judges each specific renewable energy project on its merits and may on occasion...[more]
In February, the California Energy Commission issued its long-awaited update on the performance of the state's wind industry. The Wind Performance Report Summary 1996-1999 eliminates some...[more]
Wind Turbines, Aesthetics, & Public Acceptance Whether you love them or hate them, all agree that wind turbines elicit strong reactions, and the potential for conflict will only increase as wind...[more]
False, Misleading and Deceptive Claims Regarding AWEA's Purported Endorsement of WindTree Energy Generator[more]
A description of the Profitability Index Method of setting feed-in tariff rates for wind energy. . .
Presented to the Kegley Institute of Ethics, California State University Bakersfield, 17 October 2001 Let's get this out of the way up front. There are no panaceas, no quick fixes to the state's or...[more]
When the 11th edition of Real Goods' Solar Living Sourcebook landed with a thud on my doorstep, I knew I was in for a treat. L[more]
"We're not a very sophisticated company," Bob Green says humbly. Others agree. The awea-wind-home web site is buzzing with questions about the audacious claims of Green and his company, Thermodyne...[more]
An edited version of the following was read on National Public Radio's Weekend Sunday program. Weekend Edition Sunday Re: Robbie Harris (sp)'s report on Wind Energy for Chicago/Sunday 26 August,...[more]
Doubts about an unusual approach to turbine design have been proven right with the demise of Vortec Energy, launched in 1994 with strong hopes for its diffuser augmented wind turbine (DAWT) design....
Wind turbine company Vortec Energy is being wound up because its project is uneconomic, despite having raised $23 million in the past five years. . .[more]
The announcement this week that Vortec is closing comes as no surprise to Windflow Technology chief executive, Geoff Henderson. Windflow Technology Ltd is raising $3 million to establish local...[more]
While it's difficult and time consuming, author Paul Gipe finds that measuring small wind turbine noise is within the reach of amateurs and asks why manufacturers and national laboratories are not...[more]
American readers will find two sections particularly intriguing: development of wind energy in Germany during the Third Reich, and a critical comparison of the German, U.S., and Danish wind energy...[more]
IV. European Experience IV.A. Denmark and the Danes IV.A.1. Right Product at the Right Place IV.A.2.Dependable Home Market IV.A.3. Nationwide Land Use Planning IV.B. Germany Rises to Prominence...[more]
Timing is everything. And Peter Asmus couldn't have better timed the release of his book about the rise and fall of California's wind industry. Just as California entered its first rolling blackouts...[more]
California's power crisis has proven fertile soil for a new crop of small wind turbines seen sprouting across the state. From Chico in the north to Temecula in the south, from the coast near San Luis...[more]
Like ducted turbines, a perennial favorite of hucksters and charlatans is, for lack of a better word, squirrel cage rotors. [more]
An edited version of this article appeared in a 2001 edition of Renewable Energy World. Paul Gipe examines the latest report from BTM Consult on the world wind energy market. More good news for...[more]
Introduction to all the great names of French wind energy, including Georges Darrieus, Louis Vadot, Louis Constantin, the Duke de Goyon, and Laboratoire Eiffel.
Researchers at Spain's national energy center, CIEMAT, reported on a survey of small wind turbine technology at the European Wind Energy Association special topic conference in Kassel, Germany.[more]
If, by accepting a modest, largely aesthetic change in the landscape, we can heal the earth to this great extent, how in conscience can we not do so? . .
The following article grew out of research for an extensive revision of my book Wind Power for Home & Business published by Chelsea Green. The article is essentially a report on how to test small...[more]
A Memorandum to Colleagues in the U.S. Small Turbine Industry on the Draft Performance Standard AWEA 1.2.2000[more]
La editorial española Progensa ha comenzado a distribuir el libro titulado Energía Eólica Práctica, traducción del texto Wind Energy Basics publicado por Chelsea Green en 1999. Según la editorial,...[more]
In late October I took a brief trip to Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, and Minnesota to visit some of the new wind projects. Here are some observations based on comparing the Midwest projects with...[more]
Simplified one-dimensional arguments lead to predictions of speed-ups of about 2 and power augmentations of about 4, but such power levels have not been observed to date.
(From Systèmes Solaires ~1999-2000) L'industrie éolienne aux Etats-Unis est aujourd'hui en pleine ébullition. En termes de puissance installée, le développement est comparable a celui que l'on a...[more]
Hugh Piggott's plans for turning a used brakedrum into a windmill is welcome addition to the literature on small wind turbines. [more]
Vortec Energy - after spending $5 million on what its chief describes as New Zealand's most expensive "sculpture" - has emerged with new wind-harnessing technology and made its first licensing deal....
An edited version of this article appeared in the Winter 1999 issue of WindStats Newsletter (Vol. 12, No. 1). The accompanying tables report data on the performance of Enron Wind Development Corp.'s...[more]
An edited version of this article appeared in the Summer 1999 (Vol. 12, No. 3) edition of WindStats. For access to the tables and statistics mentioned in the text, please see the hard copy version...[more]
An edited version of the following article appeared in the Autumn 1999 (Vol. 12, No. 4) edition of WindStats. The latest in a series of annual reports on a German test program opens a public window...[more]
Franco Muzzio Editore, an imprint of Editori Riuniti, has published an Italian translation of Wind Energy Basics, a book on small and household-size wind turbines. Elettricità al vento: Impianti di...[more]
The wind power industry has been transformed in the 1990s by dramatic breakthroughs in efficiency, economy, and adaptability. Wind Energy Basics is the most up-to-date source available of information...[more]
An edited version of this article appeared in the February 1999 issue of New Energy and in French in the January-February 1999 issue (No. 129) of Systèmes Solaires. It has been 14 years since the...[more]
Having been disparaged as a "Cassandra," I was reluctant to read a book on the topic, especially one with a subtile about optimism. "Oh no," I thought, "another enviro bashing book catering to...[more]
Wind energy is booming. Not since the heyday of the American farm windmill has wind energy grown at such a dramatic pace. By the new millennium, more than 40,000 medium-size wind turbines will be in...[more]
Windiger Protest (Bochum, Germany: Ponte Press, 1998) is a powerful little book edited by Franz Alt, Jürgen Claus, and Hermann Scheer. It sandwiches 189 pages packed with a documented defense of wind...[more]
This article is dated. For the most current statistics on wind development worldwide, contact BTM Consult and order a copy of their World Market Update. Abstract An overview of wind development...[more]
The most common technique here in the United States is to raise the tilt-up towers with a truck or tractor. I’ve never been a fan of this approach and I’ve long wondered if there is a better way....
The World Renewable Energy Congress hailed long-time wind energy advocate Paul Gipe as a "pioneer in renewable energy" at its recent international conference in Florence, Italy. The designation, one...[more]
My thanks to everyone on the awea-wind-home list for your help raising the BWC 850. Sunday 21 June, Nancy and I lowered the turbine with the griphoist. (Because we will be traveling for the next five...[more]
The text of this guide was written for attendees of Windpower 98 conference in Bakersfield, California. I updated the material in spring 2001.--Paul Gipe Tehachapi is about one hour's drive from...[more]
The New Zealand Wind Energy Association newsletter gives some information about the status of the Vortec 7 project, reports Thomas Ackermann. . .[more]
Note: The following material describes an incident that happened in 1993. This note was originally posted to awea-wind.net. Glenn Cannon presented a paper on the performance of the Z16 at the...[more]
