Wind Power
The wind is probably the most cost-effective renewable energy in the OPPD territory. There are several manufacturers of home- and farm-sized wind turbines.
As in the purchase of other generating equipment, OPPD will work with you and your electrician to ensure that the installation meets OPPD requirements. You and your electrician will need to work with local and/or state inspectors to ensure the installation meets their requirements.
You should also be aware and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service is developing guidelines for protecting wildlife as you build your tower and wind turbine.
For more information, please email BusinessEnergySolutions@oppd.com
How do you know if a wind turbine is right for you:
Both the federal government and the American Wind Energy Association have good explanations of wind energy and the factors that can make it a good choice.
Wind Speed Facts
One of the key things to know about wind speed is that the amount of energy which wind can generate is not a one to one function. Rather energy increases by the cube of the wind speed. If you double the wind speed, you get eight times the energy. That is one reason that looking at wind maps is so useful. Even a small difference in wind speed within a given area can have a big impact on the amount of energy a wind turbine can generate. It is also one of the reasons why a taller wind tower can make so much of a difference. If the wind speed increases even a few miles an hour by going with a taller tower the energy generation potential increases.
Source: Energy Bible
For more information
American Wind Energy Association
National Renewable Energy Lab-Residential
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