Mariah Power Windspire: A Low-Profile Wind Turbine

Deemed the 'Best Of What's New In '08' by Popular Science Magazine, the innovative Mariah Power Winspire is sure to be the must-have wind turbine in 2009. The sleek, low-profile design and unparalleled efficiency make this a highly enticing option for people who have considered wind turbines in the past, but haven't yet found an appropriate affordable model. According to Popular Science,

Zoning laws often forbid tall wind turbines. The Windspire captures breezes at 30 feet and below with a design in which blades run up a pole's length and spin around it. Contoured airfoils make the Windspire the first vertical-axis turbine that can start in slow winds without help from a motor or inefficient scoops or wings. $5,000; mariahpower.com

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[iPolitics]

Interesting design

[nanjemoy]

Can anyone say what the effect of local power generated by wind power would be on bird populations? It is one thing to have large clustered wind farms, where bird death mitigation might come with the plan, but what would be the effect of tens of thousands (or millions) of small scale propellers? I am not meaning to pit birds against clean energy, but it is a question about reducing harm, and I don't know the effect.

[indypete]

Probably about the same as bird deaths from coal and oil related pollution.

[research]

A lot less than cats and telecom towers.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/04/common_misconce.php

[JohnSawyer]

Cost of inverters (the DC to AC converter needed in most local power generation systems) may be dropping relatively soon, due to new electronic designs for inverters (as long as somebody puts those new designs into production). Some inverters account for as much as $2000 of some system's price, or more, but if the new designs go into production, the cost may soon be dropping by at least half, or even a lot less. I wish I could say when "soon" is, but that I don't know--a year or two?

[redhot200822]

Inverters are inefficient and stupid!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!

Convert all loads to DC.

[mathme]

DC is horrible for transmission.

[research]

Inverters ARE too expensive, but the parts are not. Thus with volume, it will cost no more than a stereo.

The Other problem is the Grid connection: 2000$ plus 500$ to install.

Obama should immediate standardize the grid connection throughout the country. This will allow mass production and again, a couple hundred dollars installed.

[JohnSawyer]

At a cost (presuming equipment and installation, if you can get a deal) of $5000, and an average US nationwide cost of residential electricity of about 15 cents per kilowatt-hour (it's about 13 cents right now, but it will probably go up to about 15 cents about a year from now), if this wind turbine generates 1.5 KW, and with an average use per day of about 16 hours (assuming you turn off your lights at night, and don't have a battery storing extra power generated by the wind blowing at night, and which would also increase the system's cost), it would take about six years of using this before you broke even. And those are just the simplest calculations. Alternate energy systems will have to come down in price by at least half before they become economically more attractive for people hoping to save money on energy costs sooner than that. I'm sure that will happen within the next few years, with competition and more people buying them. Right now, for people hoping alternate energy devices at the current price levels will save them money--that might be the case if you plan to stay in your home for at least six to ten years (depending on the technology used), though if you move before then, you can pass the cost along to whoever buys your home.

[JohnSawyer]

If the cost of alternate energy devices drops by about half within about three years, and if the cost of purchased electricity remains about the same, then for a six-year breakeven point, costwise it wouldn't matter whether you bought something like this now or three years from now--you'll wind up paying about the same either for all-purchased power, or half purchased/half self-generated. But the cost of purchased power will probably go up even more over the next few years, so if you're concerned mainly with saving on energy costs, waiting about three years (or sooner depending on what happens with the market) might be fine, and you'll get a more efficient system too. But if your concern is also to cut down on pollution caused by commercial power generators, and you don't mind the long breakeven point, buying now would make sense (as long as the pollution generated by the manufacture of these devices doesn't equal the pollution generated by a commercial power generator to supply the same amount of power these will generate over their lifespan).

Also, there are a number of interesting developments in solar power cells that may increase their efficiency, and decrease their cost of manufacture, to make their cost per KW drop by at least half within the next couple years or so.

A number of things to consider.

[mamacat]

Where we live the cost of electricity is already above 15 cents per kw hour. If and when these things become cheap enough, and dependable, and quiet, I will be on board.

[jferguson]

John,
Could you share your calculation? I ask because I wonder what happens to the power generated but not concurrently used (no batteries) which clearly doesn't save any utility expense? My guess is, that except for an installation atop Mt. Washington, this particular scheme would never pay off.

I am very skeptical of the claims imputed to any ground mounted vertical turbine wind generator. My impression is that there is a very steep fall-off in wind pressure as you get close to the ground, so that likely the first 10 to 20 feet of this turbine isn't doing much. This is without getting into the adverse effects of the fence you would need to protect the neighbors' kids.

I live on a boat and can watch a harbor full of wind generators. After a few days of no wind, where everyone really does need a charge, when the wind does come up, the ones that are well up the mast are really turning and those closer to the water are idling along - and this in a 12-15 knot breeze, and over open water, not terrain occluded by trees and other construction..

I looked at Mariah's website and I have to say that annual output in kilowatt/hours assuming an average annual wind is the most useless form of information i can imagine. They don't have performance curves for an actual installation, nor is the assumed windspeed shown for their instantaneous 1.5 kw output.

Nuts!

[jferguson]

Please delete my remark about fencing and lack of wind in first 10 feet above the ground. My mistake, but I stand behind my other observations.

[Prole-NY]

They have an almost illegible curve for output in kW vs wind speed in m/s, and the specs give the wind speed for an instantaneous output of 1.2 kW (not 1.5 kW): 11.2 m/s, 25 mph. They call it a 1.2 kW device in their overview.

[cayuse]

It is so exciting to see America going head hog for this Ponzi Scheme

Our open spaces are going to disapear and we people our building, then purchasing the electricity, higher energy and property tax

The rich get 0 cash layot with Tax Incentive ownership

The farmer get $1000 a month per windmill while changing land use without law changeing from farming to energy generation

[jake106]

You aren't making any sense. I can tell you have a point, but I have no idea what it is.

[quiviran]

First, you should look up "Ponzi"

[cayuse]

Simple research the Windmill implementation.

See who owns the windmills (OIL and Foriegn Investors), who pays for building the windmills (U), who pays for the electricity and how much (U), who pays for the transmission (U).

[WindEnergy]

Thanks for this story and for calling attention to home wind power. The Mariah WindSpire is a cool looking device that has got allot of attention out there. But it's just one of many systems to look at. You see, Mariah WindSpire specification for Cut In Wind Speed is at only 9mph.

Mariah WindSpire is a vertical turbine which means low efficiency. These turbines create their own drag on the backside, one side catches wind, the other RESISTS wind, that's drag. It's VERY important to buy a turbine that can cut in at a lower wind speed. Buy a turbine without that backside continual drag. It's like driving a car with the brakes on.

By example: Compare to a WindEnergy7 wind turbine, stainless steel parts, three bladed horizontal design, based on proven wind farm design standards. It's a really good turbine to compare to, especially since it beats most any turbine in its class. WindEnergy7.com WE7-700 Cut in Wind Speed, UNDER 6mph, Compare to: Mariah WindSpire 9mph.....

Progressive systems like WindEnergy7 come with built in support for solar panels to make a hybrid wind/solar system. The WindSpire looks cool and they do work, before you spend on a system, you should note that in the most important specs, WindSpire is behind almost any competing turbine out there, look at specs for yourself. Also, many people commented on price/point. WindEnergy7 has systems at better cost and all their systems have built in support for solar power.
--
WindEnergy

[tcagle]

The WindSpire also sits too low, which limits the wind speeds and subjects it to mechanical turbulence from nearby obstructions. Better to get higher, and use a bladed design that uses lift rather than one like this with so much drag.

[spartanmom]

Is this post selling your own product?

If so, it is inappropriate and should be flagged

[AtticusinPa]

As a zoning lawyer, and chair of the local zoning board, I note that property owners interested in this technology should ask their municipal zoning office first; however, many communities are aware of the changing technologies and the need to conform local ordinances to the energy crisis and its solutions. If you are interested in this technology, write to your planning commission and your elected officials and insist that they review your local ordinances to make it easier to use this technology.

[DocJerome]

Price! Price!! Price!!!

The price must come down by $3800.00 at least for the average consumer to be able to afford this. Just shows, we are still at least 3-4 years away from everyone doing their part, and even that is wishful thinking.

[Wilburrr]

It occurs to me that the funnel effect caused by tall buildings in large cities offer an opportunity to employ a turbine of this type, where a more standard propeller, like the ones in San Bernardino, might not fit....

Suspending it between buildings.... say around Rockefeller Plaza? I'll leave that to someone else :)

[jferguson]

Whatever would make me think that the turbine needs to be where the wind is, namely up maybe 50 to 100 feet, not on the ground?

[spartanmom]

depends on where you live

[mamacat]

Not much more info available in the "Read the whole story..." section.

What is the bang for the buck analysis, and at what wind speed can it start producing consumable electricity?
How much energy can a $5,000 investment provice?

[SolarPowerGuy]

I followed the link to their web site, http://www.mariahpower.com/ . Technical details are available there. I also just commented on the technicals, a few posts above this one.

[KillTheMessenger]

For $5000 you can buy a lot more green energy by investing in large scale turbine. One more non-solution that will appeal to a lot of people who can't do the math.

[RTIII]

Point me at 'em, KTM, I'd LOVE to get started for about that price... And yes, I've been shopping 'round. Haven't found the right deal yet.
.

[Wilburrr]

Have you tried Southwest Windpower?

[gevan]

When the beachfront high rises across the street from me get these on their roofs, I'll believe that America is getting serious on energy policy.

[cayuse]

Don't worry UK just put 1000's in mountains ALL around ME. There is alot of open space to fill with windmills and solar panels.

Once we fill the GREEN space we can stick a computer in each one and replace all the people to conserve even more energy.

And there will be green all around. There was a babling brook, that loved the tall oak tree... then along came man to burn the talk oak tree...then along came Green to make it right (GREEN MONEY)