Honeywell Windtronics
The following are a series of articles about the “Honeywell” Windtronics roof top wind turbine. This design first came to prominence in western Michigan in late 2008. The development, promotion, and marketing of this design should serve as a cautionary tale. At the time, the wind turbine was hyped as “revolutionary”. While it was novel it was not revolutionary. Others had built “bicycle wheel” turbines before and, of course, others had also tried to use circumferential magnets at the edge of the wheel. It did not end well for all concerned, including the state of Michigan and the province of Ontario.
Curse of Honeywell Windtronics Keeps on Giving
By
Paul Gipe
Let this be a warning to you skeptics, critics, and debunkers of new-fangled wind turbine flim flam. It will come home to haunt you. Are you listening Mick Sagrillo?
Honeywell Windtronics–ACE Hardware’s Revenge
By
Paul Gipe
It was an odd call. An ACE hardware store deep in Michigan called with a request for parts to the …
Honeywell Windtronics Kaputt–Finally an End to a Sad Saga of a “Revolutionary Roof Top Wind Turbine”
By
Paul Gipe
The true tragedy of this sad saga is that anyone with a modicum of technical expertise would easily have seen that the entire edifice was built upon a fundamentally flawed design with a business model that was doomed from the start.
MiBiz: Tilting at Windmills? Beleaguered Muskegon wind turbine business closes doors
By
Elijah Brumback and Joe Boomgaard
Despite the promise of a revolutionary new technology for small-scale wind energy, one local company has found the industry’s headwinds too stiff to stay in business. . . Even after receiving millions in government incentives and heady praise for its innovative wind turbine design, WindTronics LLC of Muskegon ended operations earlier this year after its sole-source supplier folded, according to a statement to customers and vendors.
Honeywell Windtronics WT6500: October 2012 Report from the Field–Not Operating
By
The following is an email from retired civil engineer Lynn Shafer on his experience with the Honeywell Windtronics turbine. Shafer lives in Sedalia, Missouri. If the company posts a response, I’ll add it here. See the earlier Honeywell Windtronics WT6500 Report from the Field Normally I don’t get involved in commercial disputes such as this. However, Lynn had contacted me because I had written an article critical of their claims and because I am a proponent of wind energy.–Paul Gipe
Local tool shops say WindTronics owes them money
By
Dave Battagello, Windsor Star
A pair of local tool and mold shops are owed about $375,000 by a Michigan-based wind turbine company which has closed its production plant after only two years of operation in Windsor.
