Wind Energy

Energy Usage Reduction
Before even considering the use of wind energy, you have to first determine your energy usage and where you can reduce your kWh usage. To help reduce kWh, reduce the biggest loads; air conditioners and electric water heaters. An excellent resource is Westar Energy's Home Energy Calculator.
Energy Production
Compare the Power Curve Graph from the turbines you are considering (based off a 5 kW Vertical Axis Wind Turbine) with the Daily Wind Avg below and your avg kw usage from your electric bill. The Cut-in Speed of 8 mph is typically the minimum speed for most residential turbines to start generating usable power (about 200 watts). 14-17mph is the avg speed you can expect to meet energy needs of 1000-1600kw. The Rated Speed of 22-30mph is typically the speed for most residential turbines to start generating their full rated power. To justify wind turbine use, the Daily Wind Avg line should be close to the wind speed on the Power Curve graph required to sustain your avg daily kw usage. Avg Gusts are not sustained speeds and should not be considered. NOTE: Using an anemometer at your location will likely produce different data since many factors affect wind patterns.

The data below represents the Wind Data for this station.

Wind Terminology

• Start-up Speed - This is the speed at which the rotor assembly begins to rotate.
• Cut-in Speed - Cut-in speed is the minimum speed at which the turbine starts generating usable power; typically between 7 and 10 mph for most turbines.
• Rated Speed - The rated speed is the minimum speed at which the turbine will generate its designated rated power. For example, a 5 kilowatt wind turbine may not generate 5 kilowatts until wind speeds reach 25 mph. Rated speed for most turbines is 22 to 30 mph. Between cut-in and rated, the power output from a wind turbine increases cubed as wind increases. Most manufacturers provide graphs, called "power curves," showing how their turbine output varies with wind speed.
• Cut-out Speed - At very high wind speeds, typically between 45 and 80 mph, most turbines cease power generation and shut down. The wind speed at which shut down occurs is called the cut-out speed, or sometimes the furling speed. This is a safety feature which protects the wind turbine from damage.

How Wind Data is obtained.

The data/observations are collected by a Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2. Observations are collected every 2-3 sec and data reduction is performed by Weather Display software. The station is comprised of an anemometer, barometer, temperature and humidity sensors, a .01 in. rain gauge, situated in optimal positions for highest accuracy possible. This trend is based on observations recorded at CW9610 located 1.5 mi West of McLouth.
Accurate analysis can only be obtained by correctly sited sensors. This weather station is sited according to the procedures outlined in the CWOP handbook. Data collected by this weather station is utilized by NOAA, CWOP, and other weather organizations.