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Most people are familiar with large, utility-scale, wind farms - and the controversy surrounding them. These projects come with their own benefits and drawbacks - and they won't be discussed here.

Far less attention is paid to small-scale wind turbines for private use. Small-scale wind projects make little noise and do not dramatically alter our landscape. Wind installations can provide renewable energy for your home or business - provided you have enough wind to keep them running and understand the need for regular maintenance.

First, determine your average annual wind speed. Then, fill out our secure Wind Client Information Form. If you have difficulty looking up your wind resource or have questions that are not answered below or just want to speak with a real person, please don't hesitate to give us a call or send e-mail with questions.

How Much is Enough Wind?      (back to top)

Wind is a fickle resource. One side of a valley might experience very windy conditions, while the other side is comparatively still. The top of a hill might be a great place for a wind turbine, while a site 100 yards down from the top is not worth considering. Even sites that feel windy may be too blustery or turbulent. For these reasons, we cannot and do not rely on anecdotal evidence to assess a site. Fortunately, there are better ways to quantify the wind resource of a particular site.

Based on our experience, we strongly recommend an average annual wind speed of at least 5.0 m/s (11.2 mph) at a height of 30 m (98 ft). At present, we consider an average annual wind resource of 5.5 m/s (12.3 mph) to be the threshold for long-term economic feasibility of a grid-connected small wind project.

To assess your annual average wind speed please follow the directions at the bottom of this page.

Site Evaluations      (back to top)

In order to design a residential or commercial grid-connected wind system, our system designers will come to your site to evaluate its potential. The fee for a residential site visit is $250 plus $1 per mile one-way travel beyond a 30-mile radius from Ithaca. The fee for a commercial site visit is $500 + travel for a single tower site and may increase with the number of tower sites involved. Please note that our Site Evaluation fee will be refunded in its entirety if you have us design and install a system for you.

A Site Evaluation allows us to investigate the details of your site prior to developing a design and proposals for a wind energy system. Equally important, the visit allows time to answer questions that customers always have. For all clients, we will do a preliminary wind resource assessment and discuss the results with you prior to a site visit - which only makes sense before you commit to the time and expense associated with a formal Site Evaluation.

For Residential clients, our Site Evaluation will result in the following deliverables:

1. Wind resource report - a detailed analysis quantifying your wind resource at the prospective tower site as well as an estimate of annual energy output (AEO) of the wind turbine(s) being considered.
2. Electric usage report - an analysis based on Customer-supplied bills or on a Utility-supplied usage summary showing what fraction of present or historical electric usage can be offset by wind.
3. Customer Purchase Agreement (CPA) - consisting of a detailed Project Description, datasheets for major system components, itemized materials and labor costs, anticipated incentive payments, and estimated tax credits.
4. Economic analysis - for the project described in the CPA.

For Commercial clients:

1. Wind resource reports - detailed analyses quantifying the wind resource at one or more prospective tower sites as well as an estimate of annual energy output (AEO) of the wind turbine(s) being considered.
2. Electric usage reports - analyses based on Customer-supplied bills or on a Utility-supplied usage summary for one or more electric meters at the buildings/sites visited.
3. Wind feasibility report - giving specific suggestions and estimated costs for the design, installation and commissioning of one or more wind projects at the sites visited. Next steps in the process are clearly articulated here.
4. Economic analyses - for all projects described in the Wind feasibility report.

For Off-Grid (OG) clients:

1. Wind resource report - a detailed analysis quantifying your wind resource at the prospective tower site as well as an estimate of annual energy output (AEO) of the wind turbine(s) being considered.
2. Project cost estimate - consisting of a detailed Project Description, datasheets for major system components, itemized materials and labor costs, anticipated incentive payments (if any - usually not), and estimated tax credits.

For all clients, Renovus will identify potential sites for wind tower(s), wiring distances, location for inverter(s), capacity of the existing electrical service, and point-of-connection to the utility. We will also explain the economic analysis showing return on investment (ROI) and discuss permitting issues at length (see below).

For off-grid wind systems, additional issues that must be addressed include load analysis, battery capacity, and identification of critical (backed-up) electric loads. Permitting, while usually less of a process for off-grid systems, must still be addressed.

Permitting      (back to top)

Obtaining the necessary permits from Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJ's) will be the most time-consuming and frustrating step in the process of installing a small wind project in NY. AHJ's may include: local planning and zoning boards, local building department and code enforcement office, electric utility, NYSERDA wind incentive requirements (e.g., SEQRA), and possibly others.

Towns are rapidly adopting zoning ordinances regarding wind turbines and towers. Check with the Building Department and/or Code Enforcement officer for your Town or Municipality. Unless you are prepared to be very patient waiting for permits and approvals for your wind turbine, we do not recommend contacting us. To date, our experience has been waiting periods of between 6 months to one year from signed Purchase Agreement to an installed, grid-connected, operating wind turbine.

To qualify for NYSERDA's small wind system incentive, your property must have a minimum area of one acre. Moreover, the wind turbine must be centered in a circle with a radius equal to the proposed tower height + the length of the wind turbine blades, and this circle must not overlap with power lines, property boundaries, roads, offices or homes. For example, for a typical 5\,kW wind turbine on a 120 ft tower, this is a circle with a 131 ft radius (262 ft diameter) centered at the tower base.

Weaver Wind Energy Turbines      (back to top)

Due to less-than-great experiences with other brands of wind turbines, Renovus will exclusively install high quality wind turbines made in the U.S. and distributed worldwide by Weaver Wind Energy. These machines have been designed by Art Weaver specifically to address problems identified in other small wind turbines. Now in the field testing stage, the first WWE turbines will become available in 2012. As such, now is the time to begin the permitting process for an installation planned for next year.

For every wind project, we carry out web-based, real-time monitoring to verify performance, minimize downtime, and avoid problems for our customers. If you have us design and install a wind system for you, monitoring is not an option, it is mandatory.

Before settling on any brand of turbine, we recommend that potential customers take time to compare production claims from the turbine manufacturers. The rated power (kW = kilowatts) output of a small wind turbine should be based on an 11 m/s (25 mph) wind speed. Annual energy output (AEO) estimates (kWh = kilowatt-hours) should be presented in a graph or table where you can determine how much energy the turbine will produce at your average annual wind speed. If you don't know your average annual wind speed (see below), then you won't have a clue how much energy your wind turbine will produce. Ask for a modeled estimate of turbine energy (kWh = kilowatt-hours) production based on your site's specific wind resource and terrain characteristics. Used and interpreted properly, these models will give you an idea of how much energy you can expect annually from a given turbine at your site.

Tower Height      (back to top)

An excellent rule of thumb is to size the tower so that the hub height (center of the alternator) is at least 30 ft above the tallest object within 500 ft (0.1 mile!). The 500 ft rule increases to 3000 ft (greater than 1/2 mile!) if your tower site is near an abrupt change in height of a contiguous object such as a cliff or a dense forest bordering a field.

Another rule of thumb for small wind turbines: Put it on the tallest tower you can afford (within reason, meaning less than 200 ft). The energy economics almost always get better as your tower gets taller.

Another fact: Renovus will not install a wind turbine in central NY on any tower shorter than 100ft. We know from painful experience that shorter towers, while easier to permit, simply will not bring the turbine into the smooth, steady wind necessary for consistent energy generation. The reason for this is that the hilly terrain and mature tree heights characteristic of our region creates significant wind turbulence at heights below 100ft. You will not be happy with the performance of a turbine installed on a shorter tower!

Cost Estimates     (back to top)

The installed cost of a wind system varies widely and depends on many things including: the size of the turbine, the height and type of tower, and where the tower site is in relation to the point of interconnection to the utility grid. Contact us for more information about this - but please - do your homework first to assess your wind resource.

Based on our experience, costs for a permitted, fully-commissioned, grid-connected residential small wind system can range from a minimum of $15,000 to well over $100,000 before tax credits and incentives are applied.

Tax Credit, Incentives, and Property Tax Exemption      (back to top)

The Federal government offers an income tax credit of 30% of total project costs for grid-connected or off-grid residential small wind systems. For more detailed information, refer to page 2 of Federal tax form 5695.

NYSERDA's small wind incentive program (PON-2097) offers incentives based on the individual qualified turbine, instead of the size or output of the turbine. This incentive helps offset the up-front costs of the installation. Renovus is an eligible installer in the PON-2097 incentive program. Other state and/or federal assistance may be available for agricultural and commercial operations.

Net metering of wind power is available in New York through the large investor-owned utilities (NYSEG, National Grid, Central Hudson, etc.). Net metering works like this - at the end of each month, net excess generation for wind turbines of 10 kW or less is credited to the next month's bill at the retail rate. Net excess generation for systems larger than 10 kW is credited to the next month's bill at the "avoided cost" (essentially, wholesale) rate. Total excess generation at the end of the year is paid for at the avoided cost rate. As a result of the net metering law, the utilities have prepared tariffs that are submitted to the New York State Department of Public Service (DPS) for approval.

Installing a renewable energy system, such as a solar, wind or farm-waste system, will increase property value. To encourage New Yorkers to install such systems, New York State provides a property tax exemptions for properties hosting these "earth friendly" systems. These exemptions assure property owners that their real property taxes will not increase as a result of the installation of such a system. In other words, any increase in the assessed value of real property attributable a solar, wind or farm-waste energy system will be exempt from taxation. These property tax exemptions cover residential, commercial, institutional and industrial systems.

At present these exemptions cover all wind, solar and farm waste systems purchased and installed before January 1, 2015 and provide a 15-year real property tax exemption. The total exemption amount is equal to the increase in assessed value attributable to the renewable energy system. The exemption only applies to general municipal and school district taxes. Local and governments are allowed to opt out of the exemption. Please refer to this listing to see if your municipality or school district has opted out. At present, systems built in the school districts of New York, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Yonkers do not qualify.

More detail:

Section 487 of the Real Property Tax Law exempts from taxation, but not special ad valorem levies or special assessments, real property which includes a solar or wind energy system or farm waste energy system satisfying guidelines established by NYSERDA. The solar or wind energy system or farm waste energy system must be existing or constructed before July 1, 1988 or constructed after January 1, 1991 and before January 1, 2015.

A county, city, town or village may adopt a local law or a school district (except the city school district of New York City, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse or Yonkers) may by resolution provide that no solar or wind exemption or farm waste energy system shall apply within its jurisdiction for systems constructed after January 1, 1991 or the date of such local law or resolution, whichever is later.

The exemption is equal to the increase in assessed value of the property attributable to the inclusion of the solar or wind energy system or farm waste energy system and is to be granted for a period of fifteen (15) years. Where the system or its components are also part of the building structure, the increase in value to be exempted from taxation equals the assessed value attributable to the system or components multiplied by the ratio of the incremental costs of the system or farm waste energy system or components to the total cost of such system or components. "Incremental cost" is the increased cost of a solar or wind energy system or farm waste energy system or component which also serves as part of a building structure, above that for similar conventional construction, which enables its use as a solar or wind energy system or farm waste energy system or component. For further information, see NYSERDA guidelines. Note that municipalities that offer the solar or wind energy system exemption may require payments in lieu of taxes not to exceed the amount of the exemption.

To claim the exemption, the property owner must submit form RP-487 from the New York State Office of Real Property Services (ORPS) to the city or town assessor.

Service Plans      (back to top)

All wind systems installed under the NYSERDA small wind incentive program (PON-2097) have a five-year parts and labor warranty.

All wind turbines require maintenance. Period. As a minimum, any small wind turbine should be inspected and serviced every year. This is usually done by the original installer and will involve a separate service agreement beyond the five-year NYSERDA program warranty period. As important as the annual professional inspection is the day-to-day observation of the system by the owner. The system owner should be able to notice potential problems such as new noises, excessive tower motion or vibration, inverter error messages, or anything else that seems unusual. Unattended or unmonitored small wind systems are an invitation to problems - which is why Renovus requires web-based monitoring of all wind systems that we install (see above).

Finding Your Wind Speed      (back to top)

New Yorkers can look up the average annual wind speed at their proposed installation sites using the New York Small Wind Explorer. Detailed instructions on using the tool are available on the site.