Wind Power
Wind Grant System Installation Complete
The National Center for Appropriate Technology has completed the first wind turbine
installation under a residential wind grant program funded by Montana Power Company's
universal systems benefits charge.
The machine is a 10kW Bergey on
a 60-foot guyed tower. The tower, turbine, and rotor blades were assembled on
the ground and then lifted into place by a crane. For a more complete overview
and more photos, please visit Pine
Ridge Products.
Only wind machines 10 kilowatts
and smaller were eligible for funding under the program, which aims to install
40 kilowatts of wind electrical generation.
An incentive of $1.25 per watt
of the manufacturer’s capacity rating will be paid to the owners. An owner installing
a 10-kilowatt system, for example, will receive $12,500, which will cover about
a third of the total installed cost of the system.
All of the wind systems are utility-intertied,
which means the electricity they produce can be fed into the utility grid – in
effect running the meter backward. The owner may also choose to install batteries
and controllers to provide an uninterrupted power supply.
In addition to the work shown in
the photos below, arrangements were made for an inspection from the appropriate
electrical authority. The owner signed a net metering agreement with Montana Power
Company, and the utility installed a new meter.
Excavation
for the anchors and tower base is complete. The inverter and electrical meter
are in the barn at right.
The
completed tower is ready to be hoisted. All bolts must be tightened to manufacturer's
recommendations for torque. Note (lower left) the concrete pad and bolt anchors
for the tower base
The
Excel turbine, which weighs about 1,000 pounds, is bolted to the tower top.
Clinging
to the tower, a member of the installation crew checks the top guy station for
proper tension. All guy stations and anchors must be tensioned and checked before
crane is unhooked.
Though
the installation looks complete, note that the tail remains furled until the crew
finishes all its tasks.
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