Mariah Windspire
Mariah and its Windspire will go down in history as another novelty Vertical Axis Wind Turbine that was doomed from the start. Tall and slender, it was, if nothing else, distinctive. Unfortunately, a tall and slender wind turbine mounted on a short tower is still a wind turbine on a short tower. The company soon realized that the design was really only suitable in “architectural” applications that were looking for visual bling. Architectural ornamentation alone is not enough of a market to support a wind turbine manufacturer as Mariah learned to its regret.
If you don’t know why these are bad installations, then please read a good book on wind power. There are dozens of such books now available in English.
Fox: Some Nevada Mariah Windspire users say returns lacking
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Mariah Power, the company that produced the Sousas’ wind turbines, generated headlines several years ago as an example of a successful northern Nevada company making headway in the renewable energy industry. In January, it sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. . .
RGJ: Northern Nevada wind power pioneers hit snag; vertical turbines not delivering savings as promised
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“So, I’m out $23,000, and all they are is a yard decoration,” Albert Sousa said on Wednesday while standing beneath the 30-foot spires next to a backyard chicken coop. “They’re no good at all.”
Reno Nevada Proves–Again–that “Small Urban Wind” Produces Poor Results
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Paul Gipe
Reno, Nevada is vying for the world record for “Worst Turbine Install in History” through sheer scale, expense, and hubris. . .
NNBW: Windspire Energy makes Chapter 11 [Bankruptcy] filing
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Windspire Energy, the Reno company that won plaudits for its sleek wind-turbine machines, is working to reorganize itself under Chapter 11 of the federal bankruptcy code.The company, whose majority ownership rests with three venture capital firms in the San Francisco Bay Area, said in its filing in federal bankruptcy court in Reno that it owes nearly $6 million and has assets of about $220,000.
NREL Wind Turbine Safety and Function Test Report for the Mariah Windspire Wind Turbine
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Arlinda Huskey, Amy Bowen, and Dave Jager
Tests from both of these configurations are included in the report, though each test was not performed on both configurations of the turbine. Testing on the Windspire was terminated before all of the planned safety and function tests could be completed.
Small Scale VAWT Wind Turbines Optimized for Low Wind Speeds
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T. Letcher
A combination of common vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT) rotors was designed and tested for optimal performance in low wind speeds.
