A home wind system configured to provide power during outages will have the following major components:

Wind Turbine:  The wind turbine captures the energy in the wind with its three blades.  These blades turn a generator that produces electricity.  The wind turbine operates automatically and it protects itself during storms.  The electricity output depends on the wind speed.  For this application BWC has turbines rated at 1, 1.5, and 7.5 kW.  The 7.5 kW (Excel-R) is our standard “10 kW” turbine, but it is derated to 7.5 kW to maximize low wind speed performance.  The wind system includes a battery charge regulator.

Tower:  The tower puts the wind turbine high enough to avoid turbulence (rough air) caused by the ground and nearby obstacles.  Towers should be no shorter than 60 ft. (18 meters) on smaller units and 80 ft. (24 meters) for the 7.5 kW unit.  Towers are available in different heights and styles, some with guy wires (less expensive) and some without (more expensive).  The single biggest mistake people make in buying a wind system is to use a tower that is too short.  Putting a turbine on a short tower is like putting a solar system in the shade of a tree – the performance will suffer greatly!

Batteries:  Batteries store electricity during times of excess production for use when the wind turbine output is not sufficient.  Batteries can be flooded cell (least expensive) or sealed (more expensive).  These batteries must be designed for deep-cycles, vehicle starting batteries are unsuitable.  When the batteries are full excess energy will be sent through the inverter to the utility line.

Inverter:  The electricity produced by the wind turbine and stored in the batteries is not  the alternating current (AC) required by most lights and appliances.  The inverter converts the direct current (DC) power in the batteries to AC power.  They can also charge the batteries from a back-up generator and some can automatically start a back-up generator when the batteries drain.  

New Energy Meter:  This in an additional energy meter that we recommend be installed between the inverter and the breaker panel.

New Sub-Panel:  This new breaker panel connects the inverter to your most important loads (refrigerator, lights, pump, etc).  During a power outage the inverter will isolate this panel from the utility line and continue to power your important loads, so long as the batteries have enough energy to do so.

Existing Breaker Panel:  This is the existing breaker panel for your home.  The wind system connects at this point using a dedicated circuit breaker. 

Utility Power Line:  This is the connection between your home and the power company.  In states with Net Metering (hot link) your existing energy meter, which can turn backwards, is adequate.  In other states, two ratcheted meters are necessary.  In this case one meter reads what you buy and the other reads what you sell.

For complete Home.Sure equipment packages, please visit our Value Packages section.