Tag Archive for VAWT

Wind Power in the Land of Sun and Fun

The VAWT at Blue Water Terrace. Not Operating at time of picture.

The VAWT at Blue Water Terrace. St. Croix US Virgin Islands. Not Operating at time of picture.

I just had to report on a recent personal trip to St. Croix, US Virgin Islands.

I immediately noticed with much pleasure the number of wind turbines that have gone up since I had been there last. In a place where independence is a necessity, where there’s even people living off-grid- famously at the Virgin Islands Sustainable Farm Institute, I have to give credit to these wind pioneers, trying to make it happen.

St Croix USVI south shore mini wind farm team

St Croix USVI south shore mini wind farm team

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I guess in the land of fun in the sun, without some kind of state incentives which they don’t have, -and in the face of an entirely uncooperative utility in VIWAPA (famous picture of ex Head of the utility giving a literal “thumbs down” standing in front of a wind turbine), although widely used, person after person told me solar remains too expensive. I find it hard to believe, since that is with utility electric rates around .45/kWh plus a roving fuel surcharge that so few can understand, but most say almost doubles the bill at times.  I always think it should be a no-brainer, but residents tell me otherwise.

On second time passing some of these turbines though, I found myself dismayed. For the most part the turbines are working well, but some were sitting idle, even though I was there during the famed “Christmas Winds”.

welcome home!, too bad it wasnt spinning!

welcome home!, too bad it wasnt spinning!

too close to the street, too low to catch the wind

close to the street, hopefully not too low to catch the wind

VAWT in the valley

opposite view shows the layout.

I can only surmise that all the ones not spinning are purposely shut off for some reason (?)

I Hope so! Maybe they were just away for the holidays. I do have to say the majority of wind turbines I saw were spinning away, pumping out the kilowatt hours. You have to know by now I love the look of that!

South shore Spinnin'

South shore Spinnin’!

 

These vertical axis wind turbines are still somewhat “experimental”, are derided by wind enthusiasts unless they meet strict “lift” versus “drag” aerodynamic concepts, many are prone to “amateur situations”. The one pictured below was cranking, I wonder what the output is.

Drive on the left....VAWT cranking on the right.

Drive on the left….VAWT was cranking on the right.

I must recommend everyone to (please!) read Paul Gipe’s Wind Power or Paul Gipe’s Wind Energy Basics, before even looking into a wind turbine.
It’s pretty simple : a $20-30 investment to help figure out if you are going to make a mistake or just make the mistake for $5,000-15,000. 

When I think of those turbines not spinning, I wonder if, sometime in the near future,  we going to see ads on Craigslist-US Virgin Islands for “hardly used wind turbines”?

I hope not, I’d rather see those up and running. I guess I’ll keep my eyes peeled, and definitely let me know if you hear anything!

Ok, With This, Now I’m Ready For an EV.

The new Sanya Skypump EV charging station.

The new Sanya Skypump EV charging station. Your own energy independence, right in your own driveway?

Oooh, look at that VAWT*, so clean and beautiful, the sleek stylish look of the whole system… I’m going to have to tell the TV and the iPhone… there may be another in my life!

Welcome the Sanya Skypump.
The new “fuel pump” for your EV (electric vehicle).

Vehicles are the last bastion of dirty energy proponents saying : how are you going to move everything that moves our modern world and economy without fossil fuels?!! (funny, my autocorrect corrected “economy” to “ruining”- food for thought)

Maybe we don’t have all the answers just yet. Is that any reason not to take a couple hundred million dirty cars and trucks off the road as soon as financially and technologically possible?

Wouldn’t that leave plenty of decades worth of fossil fuels for airplanes? (whoops, they don’t need them anymore either- biofuels have recently proven an alternative for that.)
Wouldn’t the industry that it would take to deploy and maintain something like this to everyone employ tens of millions world-wide while making the world a better place??

Right now, your EV could be charging in your driveway, running on kilowatt hours produced from coal, doing nothing to get off of dirty energy.

With this, you just plug in and you have a truly clean driving experience with no dirty energy footprint.
Just think:

  • No fossil fuels to war over
  • Doesn’t enrich foreign dictators and other US detractors
  • No mega profits for natural resource pirates* to funnel through and disrupt worldwide economic and political systems with crazy political Bribes contributions.
  • Won’t pollute the
    1. air
    2. land, or
    3. water

Notice that solar panels can also be attached to it’s infrastructure, backing up your wind generation!

Oh and of course the sun and wind don’t stop just because you’re not charging your car, and that generated energy can be used for

  • your other household uses
  • charging a second car, or
  • makes you money as you spin and sell pure, clean power onto the grid.

Now that’s truly giving you and I energy independence, right where you and I live.

If you and I had access to true energy inedependence, there’s no need for the government or corporations to “figure it out for us”.

Now I just have to see it in action to believe it! Oh we can do that here:

The new Sanya Skypump VIDEO LINK

CLICK HERE for Link To Video for Sanya Skypump

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While writing this post, this timely article also hit :
Ford Goes Big on Electric Vehicles, Future Looks Bright for Wind-Powered Cars

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*VAWT – vertical axis wind turbine”
*pirate – One who preys on others; a plunderer.