A professional electrician is required for installation and the homeowner must also supply one or more automotive-type batteries to complete the system. The Honeywell Windgate wind turbine comes with a computerized control box, power inverter, and an interconnect switch to wire the system into a household panel. Traditional turbines typically begin turning at 7.5mph (12.1kph) and shut down around 29mph (46.7kph) to protect their gearing systems. The efficiency of this design, the company says, allows the Windgate to operate in a greater range of wind speeds (2 to 45mph, 3.2 to 72.4kph) than traditional wind turbines. Rim-mounted permanent magnets generate power at the tips of the fan blades - the fastest moving area - instead of at the fan hub as in traditional turbine designs. To accomplish this, the turbine generates energy using its gearless “free wheeling” Blade Tip Power System, which reduces mechanical resistance and drag. The Windgate’s design eliminates the geared hub design found in other turbines, and EarthTronics says this allows the unit to run more quietly and with less vibration.ĮarthTronics designed the Windgate to start spinning in light winds as low as 2mph (3.2kph). The turbine can be installed on a house or business rooftop, wall or on a self-standing pole. The Windgate measures just 6 feet (1.8m) across and weighs less than 95lbs (43kg). See our reports on the ocean-based HyWind and the high-altitude Magenn systems.ĮarthTronics and Honeywell attempt to address this challenge by making the Windgate suitable for installation where the power is being consumed, even in areas with light winds. But most manufacturers focus instead on building large-scale systems that are installed away from where the generated power is needed.
We have previously covered the AeroVironment system that takes advantage of a building’s aerodynamics to maximize windflow, and the Windspire vertical-axis design that uses a small installed footprint. Wind turbine companies are addressing this challenge in a variety of innovative ways.
HONEYWELL HOME WIND TURBINE INSTALL
Most traditional wind turbine designs don’t start spinning until 7 or 8mph (12kph), and so finding a place to install the turbine becomes a major issue. In fact, some estimates indicate that 90 percent of US wind resources average 9mph (14.5kph) or less. In the US, for example, wind suitable for power generation is concentrated on the coasts and in parts of the Midwest. One of the biggest obstacles to the widespread use of wind power generation is that many areas just aren’t that windy. EarthTronics says the 6-foot wide, 95-pound Windgate can start to spin in breezes as low as 2mph and can create more power with less wind than other types of wind turbines. Developers EarthTronics and Honeywell Corp hope the Windgate wind turbine will help meet the energy needs of homeowners and businesses, even if they are not located in prime “windy” areas.
Has affordable, practical home wind power generation become a reality? The Honeywell Windgate wind turbine from EarthTronics looks like it could be a contender.
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