ECONOMIC CENTS: Plug-in Wind Systems

There are ways to generate energy at home that aren't solar. Portable wind systems have several advantages.

By Bruce Saller
COLUMNIST

Photo by Saad Chaudhry on Unsplash

There is a way to generate clean energy other than solar: plug-in wind systems. These systems (also called plug and play wind systems) consist of a wind turbine connected to an inverter plugged into a 120-volt wall outlet.

They range in size from a few hundred to a few thousand watts. The inverter synchronizes the generated voltage to the utility voltage and sends power into the house (if utility power is present). Plug-in wind systems cost between $1 to $2 per watt. The wind turbine blade diameters are generally 3 feet for a 500-watt system, 4 feet for 1000 watts, and 8 feet for 2000 watts. Wind turbines weigh between 20 and 100 pounds and need to be mounted on a pole or other structure.

Wind turbines have some advantages over solar. The average Fredericksburg wind speed is 50% higher in the winter than the summer, so wind systems generate the most energy in the winter when solar systems are generating the least (and vice-versa).

Wind systems can also generate more energy over a year than an equivalent power solar system, since there are typically more wind hours than sun hours in the year.

Before buying, be aware of the pros and cons of these systems.

Pros

1. Simple installation. Many people will be able to install them without professional help.

2. No contract: Does not require a contract with the utility.

3. Portable: Can take the system with you when you move.

Cons

1. Power export: You won’t be able to export power to the utility. Many units have a sensor to shut off the output when it detects excess power is being generated. (Several bills have been submitted in the Virginia legislature to remove this restriction.)

2. Limits on plugs in circuit. You can’t have anything else plugged into the circuit that the inverter is connected to.

3. Height limits: There are varying height limits for structures depending upon the locality.

If you do decide to install plug-in wind, consider installing two matching systems, connecting one to each phase of your utility power so you can power 240 Volt loads.

Local Obituaries

To view local obituaries or to send a note to family and loved ones, please visit the link that follows.

Support Award-winning, Locally Focused Journalism

The FXBG Advance cuts through the talking points to deliver both incisive and informative news about the issues, people, and organizations that daily affect your life. And we do it in a multi-partisan format that has no equal in this region. Over the past year, our reporting was:

• First to break the story of Stafford Board of Supervisors dismissing a citizen library board member for “misconduct,” without informing the citizen or explaining what the person allegedly did wrong.

• First to explain falling water levels in the Rappahannock Canal.

• First to detail controversial traffic numbers submitted by Stafford staff on the Buc-ee’s project

Our media group also offers the most-extensive election coverage in the region and regular columnists like:

• Drew Gallagher — Humorist

• Dennis Wemm — Theatre Critic

• Hank Silverberg — Transportation

• Bruce Saller — Environment

And our newsroom is led by the most-experienced and most-awarded journalists in the region — Adele Uphaus (Managing Editor and multiple VPA award-winner) and Martin Davis (Editor-in-Chief, 2022 Opinion Writer of the Year in Virginia and more than 25 years reporting from around the country and the world).

• For just $8 a month, you can help support top-flight journalism that puts people over policies.

Your contributions 100% support our journalists.

Help us as we continue to grow!

This article is published under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND. It can be distributed for noncommercial purposes and must include the following: “Published with permission by FXBG Advance.”