Southwest Windpower

Catching Some Wind

iStockAnalyst.com
October 21, 2009
www.istockanalyst.com
By Conor Harrison, Kerrville Daily Times, Texas

CAMP VERDE -- Residents of the Hill Country don't have to wait on high-powered wind turbines and unsightly power lines coming from West Texas to reap the benefits and savings of wind energy.

Products on the market for home wind turbines are increasing, and one local ranch owner is taking advantage.
Dr. Gene Haddock installed a private wind generator on his ranch near Camp Verde this week.

Installed by Phillip Lowery, owner of Earth Energy Unlimited, the 20-ft tall Skystream turbine powers a 1.8 kw generator with 240-volts of power at 350 rpms.

"This is the first one I've set up," Lowery said. "We poured the slab, let the concrete cure for a month and drilled rebar into the rock to stabilize it."

Lowery said the unit, made by Southwest Wind Power out of Phoenix, costs approximately $20,000, but a government tax credit for 30 percent of the price reduces that somewhat.

"The payback in energy costs from this unit breaks even in seven to 10 years, four to six years if there is a lot of wind," Lowery said. "The wind needs to be at least 8 mph to turn the blades, and it has an automatic shut-off when the wind gets to 60 mph."

According to Lowery's Web site, www.earthenergyunlimited.com, the Skystream generates between 30 and 80 percent of the power required by the typical home.

Haddock said he isn't a "tree-hugger," but has been thinking about ways to make his home more eco-friendly.
"We live in an area where we can take advantage of the wind and solar energy," Haddock said. "I thought about this three or four years ago, but Bandera Electric Co-op recently modified their rules so you are allowed to have a meter that spins backwards. They came out and changed my meter."

Haddock said he is anticipating a 20 to 25 percent reduction in his power bills.

"When this machine first came out three or four years ago, it was one of the only ones on the market," he said. "I would recommend this to anyone. When we have a power outage due to thunderstorms, there still is lots of wind that can generate power for my home."

The Kerrville Public Utility Board currently has a plan in place for residential wind generators, but to date, nobody has requested a new meter.

"We have two current customers that are relying on solar power," said Tracy McCuan, KPUB general manager. "One is commercial and the other is residential. We have money in our budget to do wind and solar projects. Our meters measure electricity going both ways. With our solar customers, the power they don't use in their homes, we purchase back from them."

McCuan said in the near future, a model in the KPUB lobby will be on display, illustrating such renewable energy options.

McCuan said it has been his experience that most small wind generators are not cost effective.
"It's a long payback," he added.

For homeowners who balk at the $20,000 price tag, other companies such as Honeywell, offer a residential wind generator on a six-foot pole that residents can attach to a rooftop at more affordable prices.