In early December, 2008 Western Michigan newspapers were agog over the claims of a new wind turbine manufacturer setting up shop.
News accounts reported that Earthtroninc’s new turbine, the Windtronics 760, were being shipped to to 4,200 ACE hardware stores across the USA. The accounts also reported the manufacturer claiming that the 5-foot (1.5m) diameter turbine would produce 1,580 kWh/year.
Is this claim likely?
A wind turbine of this size sweeps about 1.8 m² and could conceivably generate 1,600 kWh/year at sites with an average annual wind speed at hub height of 8 m/s. There are probably no sites in Michigan with such wind speeds and especially at the height where this small wind turbine will be installed.
It’s unlikely that this wind turbine will produce the reported generation anywhere in Michigan.
