Applications and Wind Industry - Wind Energy: Renewable Energy and the Environment - page 215

TABLE 10.11
Small Wind Energy Conversion Systems, Prototype Development
Program Funded by U.S. Department of Energy

Contractor Type Size, m

1 kW at 8.9 m/s, high reliability, remote, $1,950,000
Aerospace/Pinson Giromill 4.6 × 5.5

Enertech HAWT 4.9

North Wind Power HAWT 4.9

4 kW at 7.2 m/s, $1,425,000
North Wind Power

HAWT 9.1

Structural Composites Dropped out at design stage

TUMAC Darrieus 9.1 × 11.5

8 kW at 8.9 m/s, $2,260,000
Alcoa Dropped out at design stage

Grumman HAWT 10

United Technologies HAWT 9.8

Windworks HAWT 10

15 kW at 8.9 m/s, $3,230,000
Enertech HAWT 13.6

United Technologies HAWT 14

40 kW at 8.9 m/s, $4,450,000
Kaman HAWT 19.5

McDonnel-Douglas Giromill 18 × 12.8

Alcoa units were developed primarily through private funds. However, a group of wind enthusiasts
convinced federal officials to support a program for small wind energy conversion systems (SWECS).
The SWECS prototype program awarded contracts in 1978 and 1979 (Table 10.11). By 1980 there were
over fifty companies producing wind energy conversion systems (1-100 kW) in the United States.
However, the installed capacity of SWECS was only around 3 MW from 1,700 units [44].
The third step was the passage of the National Energy Act of 1978. The section entitled Public Utility
Regulatory Policy Act (PURPA) provided for connection of renewable power sources to the electric
grid without penalty, and for payment to the producer for electricity sold to the utility company. The
value of that electricity was determined by the avoided cost, which was implemented by the states.

10.7.1 W IND I NDUSTRY , 1980-1990
The 5 years from 1980 to 1985 were the nascent stage of wind industry. The boom of wind farms
in California drove the exponential growth of the wind industry from 3 to 900 MW. The California
wind market was due to tax shelters (solar and investment tax credits), and avoided costs and stan-
dard contracts set by the California Energy Commission. As with many new industries, there were
a lot of manufacturers. Only small wind turbines (100 kW) were available commercially, and
there were many problems with reliability. From 1980 to 1990, four features characterized the wind
industry, which was synonymous with the wind farms in California: (1) rapid growth; (2) develop-
ment of intermediate-sized wind turbines (100-600 kW) without government funding; (3) the aero-
space companies in the United States dropped out, even those who received government funding
for design and development; and (4) strong foreign competition, primarily from Europe. Foreign
manufacturers, with Denmark leading the way, became an important factor. Vertical-axis wind
turbines from Flowind and VAWTPower were installed in California wind farms, but the majority
were horizontal-axis wind turbines.