Small Wind Turbines
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Small Wind Energy Systems
Two modes of small wind energy use are of interest today to the agricultural sector: Stand-alone systems (off-grid) and Auto production systems (connected to the grid in net-metering mode).
The small wind energy market in North America will be developing chiefly as a result of pressure from programs such as net-metering that several electricity distributors are now offering to their residential subscribers who are auto producers. The small wind energy market is developing within a general context of increasing electricity rates and the arrival of incentive programs for green production that support national objectives for reducing pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions. But the decision should be based on a detailed cost-benefit analysis. A great number of cost factors determine the profitability of a wind energy project: resource evaluation, system design, impact assessment, permit applications, purchase of the wind turbine and additional components/modules for the project, installation and activation of the system, equipment life span, maintenance costs (documented based on a credible performance history), insurance, manufacturers' warranties, maintenance contracts, normal wear and tear part replacement, equipment rentals, etc. In any case, for the investment to be a sound one, there also must be an evaluation of the comparative cost of electricity supplied via the power grid taking into account the distributor's rate projections, as set by the regulatory body having jurisdiction over the local distributor.
On the other hand, the dazzling evolution of the modern wind energy industry has seen the average capacity of a wind turbine rise from 50 kW in 1985 to 5 MW today. A rotor placed on a 100 m high tower will benefit from the best supply of wind; its productivity, per square metre of swept area, is significantly greater than the production of a small wind turbine installed on the same site. Similarly, increases in the unit cost of the giants that have emerged today continue to be compensated by a reduction in the net cost per kWh produced. If the trend and the conditions for the growth of the wind energy industry persist, and it does not seem as if they will change in the foreseeable future, we have to agree that the large wind turbine is currently more economically attractive to the small farmer than is the small wind turbine, as is the case for all power grid subscribers. This reality in the industry suggests that the auto producers who organize into cooperatives will benefit from a better return on investment if they collectively invest in a large modern commercial wind turbine rather than in a number of smaller machines. In any case, with regard to supplying electricity to isolated sites with limited needs calling for stand-alone systems, the small wind turbine need not worry about competition from the large modern commercial wind turbines which are not well suited to these situations.
Clearly, depending on the wind flow available on their properties, the programs and electricity rates set by the distributors, farmers will have to choose between radically different wind energy developments in order to make the best wind energy investment.
Modified: 02-19-2008
