HAMBURG – Aug. 17, 2011 – Southwest Windpower, the world’s leading manufacturer of personal wind generators, is the first U.S.-based manufacturer of small wind systems to be certified by GL Renewables Certification (GL). GL Renewables issued a Statement of Compliance for the A-Design Assessment of the Skystream 3.7, 50/60 Hz wind turbine. The certificate is a precondition for Southwest Windpower to apply for wind farm tenders worldwide.
Designed specifically for homes and businesses, Skystream 3.7 is the first all-inclusive personal wind generator with built-in controls and inverter. Skystream 3.7 is a down-wind (wind hits the blades on the downwind side of the tower), direct drive (gearless or no transmission), permanent magnet wind generator. Using an innovative 12-foot (3.7 m) rotor, the turbine is designed to work in very low winds and produces up to 400 kWh per month in 12 mph (5.4 m/s) average annual wind speeds.
The Statement of Compliance confirms that Skystream 3.7 meets the requirements of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Standard 61400-2:2006, Edition 2, “Design requirements for small wind turbines,” which addresses safety philosophy, quality assurance and engineering integrity of the turbine, as well as the GL “Guideline for the Certification of Wind Turbines,” Edition 2003 with Supplement 2004, regarding design, power quality and verification of load assumptions.
Small wind turbines have a swept rotor area of less than 200 m² and their generators provide voltages of up to AC 1000 V (or DC 1500 V). In the U.S., properly certified small wind turbines can receive additional subsidies and incentives. In Germany, only systems certified with German Type Approval according to the German Institute for Building Technology (DIBt) regulation may be installed. Many buyers, investors, authorities and insurers will continue to watch the small wind market to determine how the technology matures in the future.
Southwest Windpower manufactures a range of small wind systems designed for various utility-connected and off-grid applications, including residential homes, commercial properties, government and school buildings, off-shore platforms, sailboats and remote cabins.
About Southwest Windpower
Southwest Windpower has been designing and distributing small wind turbines for more than 22 years and is the recognized global leader in the design, manufacturing and distribution of small wind systems (400-3000 watts). The company has been a pioneer in the development of wind technology and has built and shipped more than 170,000 wind turbines to over 120 countries worldwide and has sales representation in over 88 countries. Headquartered in Flagstaff Ariz., it also has operations in Cologne, Germany and a joint venture in Ningbo, China. Applications for Southwest Windpower systems include residential homes, commercial properties, micro grids, remote cabins, telecom transmitters, offshore platforms, water pumping and sailboats. Southwest Windpower is the manufacturer of Skystream, Whisper and Air lines of distributed wind systems.
On the Web: http://www.windenergy.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/SouthwestWindpower
Twitter: http://twitter.com/swwindpower
About GL Renewables Certification
GL Renewables Certification, part of the GL Group, is a leading certification body primarily focussed on the certification of wind farms, wind turbines and their components. At the forefront of understanding in renewables technology, it is abreast of all the necessary standards and requirements and takes a harmonised approach in ensuring that these are met. Manufacturers, banks and insurers around the world rely on the state-of-the-art service provided by GL Renewables Certification. For more information, please visit www.gl-group.com
