Small Wind Education Helps Consumers Avoid Mistakes

Currently - there are some small wind turbines that are not working properly - and people who see these turbines automatically assume wind energy must not work. Wind energy engineer Mia Devine says that’s not true - it’s just some wind turbines aren’t correctly installed.

As farmers know - the right plants have to be grown in the right locations. Devine says the same goes for wind turbines. She created a Consumer’s Guide Checklist for Small Wind Electric Systems to educate people about the right and wrong situations for wind turbines to avoid mistakes that are giving small wind a bad reputation.

Devine says there are three common mistakes consumers make when purchasing and installing small wind electric systems. The first is installing a turbine on a tower that is too short

The second mistake is installing an unproven wind turbine design. Devine says it can be hard for consumers to determine which models and manufacturers work best.

Devine says there are a number of websites that list which turbines are certified. One is Small Wind Certification dot org (www.smallwindcertification.org).

The third mistake is setting unrealistic expectations. Devine says small wind turbines are not right for everyone - so it’s important for people to do their homework before purchasing a wind turbine.

To learn more - visit Energy dot gov slash EERE slash wind slash wind exchange (http://energy.gov/eere/wind/windexchange).

Source:  NAFB news