The following information was released by the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth (DELEG):

Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth Acting Director Andrew S. Levin today announced that Genoa Township in Livingston County has successfully installed five Windspire wind/solar hybrid turbines, completing the townships $94,919 Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant project.

“The five Windspires will provide clean energy for the township hall and even generate energy that can be sold back to the utility to benefit Genoas citizens,” said Levin. “Investing in energy-saving projects throughout Michigan boosts the state’s energy efficiency and renewable energy industries, reduces energy costs for communities, and creates jobs.”

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Reno’s Wind Energy Demonstration Program will include the installation of nine different wind turbines around the Northern Nevada area in order to show wind power at work, more information on this project can be found  here.

The base pole of the Windspire was painted by two local artists, Naomi Ferrall and Katie Packham, and was a part of the month long Artown events. Both artists are well known in the Reno community and have multiple public art installations around the area, more of Katie’s work can be seen at www.katiesmurals.com. Artown is a month long event that takes place every July in Reno, NV. It features more than 400 events, from over 100 presenters, with 350,000 attendees annually. Acording to the Artown website, “Artown captures the imagination and brings with it a celebration of distinguished artists from around the world, across the country, and those that live in the Northern Nevada community all for the sake of cultural diversity and artistic innovation”.

To view more about Artown please visit www.renoisartown.com/.

Click on the photos below to view the art.

ENGHIEN, BELGIUM (June 29, 2010) –Looking to attract innovative technology companies, the town of Enghien, Belgium is developing a state-of-the-art business park that will feature the latest in energy efficient technologies. Prior to the scheduled opening later this summer, five Windspire® vertical axis wind turbines from U.S.-based Windspire Energy™ were installed outside the center’s first building to provide clean energy and highlight the center’s focus on new green technologies. Visible from the main highway, the installation brought many questions from the media and led to a preview event on Wednesday, June 25^th.

“We installed the Windspires in such a visible place that everyone who drove by wanted to know what these spinning things were doing there,” said Thierry Brunet of Mercinat-Sarl, Belgium’s Windspire Distributor. “The center decided it was best to hold a press event to explain how the Windspires work.”

U.S. Ambassador to Belgium, Howard Gutman, utilized the occasion of the installation to hold Europe’s first promotion of U.S. President Barack Obama’s new Green Embassy Initiative. The new initiative, formally unveiled in Paris in April, calls on US Ambassadors to highlight the importance of innovative U.S. green technology products by promoting leading U.S. green energy technologies abroad.

“These five wind turbines add to the Belgian landscape, because they are a picture of the future — a clean, quiet, peaceful and green future. This project is a tribute to the transatlantic partnership between Belgium and the U.S.” said Ambassador Gutman at the unveiling of the turbines.

The Windspire is a vertical axis wind turbine designed to provide energy directly to buildings in urban, suburban and rural areas. The unique design of the rotor enables the turbine to generate energy silently while standing just nine-meters tall. Hundreds of Windspires are currently powering homes, businesses, schools, and museums across the United States, Denmark, France and now Belgium.

“It is always exciting when we are able to combine American innovation with European passion,” said Windspire Energy President & CEO Walt Borland. “The Windspires make a visually compelling statement about the City of Enghien’s meaningful commitment to a clean energy future for our planet.”

About Windspire Energy

Windspire Energy, Inc. (formerly Mariah Power, Inc.) is the developer of the innovative Windspire wind turbines.  Made in the USA, Windspires are designed for use in urban, suburban, and rural settings.  Hundreds of Windspires are now providing clean energy to homes, businesses, schools, museums and parks. The propeller-free, vertical-axis design enables silent operation and features patented technology that maximizes energy conversion from wind into electric power, regardless of changing wind speed and direction.  The Windspire has been featured in The New York Times, Fortune, Popular Science, and on “20/20”, CNN and NPR. For more information, visit www.WindspireEnergy.com.

First Zoo in the Country with a Windspire Wind Turbine

06.23.2010 – Cincinnati, OH – The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden unveils its newest energy source – the Windspire® wind turbine! The 30-foot tall turbine was installed in the Zoo’s Go Green Garden to help power the ticketing and membership building. Along with the solar panels in the Go Green Garden, the turbine will meet approximately one-fourth of all of the power demands for the building.

“The Zoo is a natural champion of environmental sustainability” said Walt Borland, Windspire Energy CEO & President. “We are excited that the Windspire will now be a part of their efforts to demonstrate how easy it is for any of us to help protect our most important habitat – Planet Earth.”

Considered a relatively small wind turbine, it provides a low-cost, safe and energy efficient method for harnessing power from the wind. It produces approximately 2000 kilowatt hours per year in 12 mph average winds. This is approximately one-third to one –fifth of the energy usage of an average U.S. Home, or roughly enough energy to run a dishwasher and refrigerator for an entire year.

Taking green steps is not new for the Cincinnati Zoo. The Zoo holds the reputation as the greenest zoo in the country and takes that role very seriously, always looking for new ways to introduce visitors to Going Green. The Go Green Garden highlights the Zoo’s green efforts in terms of energy efficiency, green building design, water conservation, solid waste management, storm water management and land stewardship.

The Cincinnati Zoo has received many “green” awards. The Zoo was named the 2008 Conservation Partner of the Year by the Hamilton County Soil & Water Conservation District and received the Cincinnati Sustainability Award from the American Institute of Architects in 2009. And, in 2010, Ohio Governor Ted Strickland declared the Cincinnati Zoo ‘the greenest zoo in the country’. To learn more about how you can “Go Green” log on to www.cincinnatizoo.org and click on “Saving the Earth.”

The world famous Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden was rated the #1 attraction locally and one of the top zoos in the nation by Zagat Survey. It was recognized by Parents Magazine as #7 on the “Top 10 Best Zoos for Kids.” It has also been recognized by Child Magazine as one of “The 10 Best Zoos for Kids.” Over one million people visit the Zoo’s award-winning exhibits, and more than 500 animal and 3000 plant species annually. The Zoo is an accredited member of the American Zoo & Aquarium Association (AZA) and the American Public Gardens Association (APGA), is internationally known for its success in the protection and propagation of endangered animals and plants, and engages in research and conservation projects worldwide.

Used to be if you wanted to put a wind turbine up at your house you either had to live on a remote farm, or grow your hair long and pledge allegiance to an aging group of touring musicians. Thanks to major improvements in technology and a general awareness of the benefits of making your own energy from clean and free wind, small wind power is going mainstream. According to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), the US small wind market grew by 78% last year with many new turbines hitting the market. But more options don’t make finding the right wind power solution easy. If you are interested but not sure how to even get started, here are 9 things to know as you consider wind power.

1. Small wind turbines can be broken into two main technologies: Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines (HAWTs) or Vertical Axis Wind Turbines (VAWTs). HAWTs are propeller based turbines that are traditionally mounted on tall poles and are commonly used in large wind farm settings. HAWTs have blades which rotate vertically around a horizontal axis, similar to a propeller on an airplane. VAWTs include two main classes: a tall vertical airfoil style (Darrieus), and a solid winged style (Savonius). Darrieus Turbines come in a few varieties. Some have rotors with curved blades that look like an eggbeater and rotate about a vertical axis. Another variation uses straight-sided airfoils and is called a Giromill. Like propeller turbines, Darrieus turbines utilize some lift to capture wind energy. Savonius Turbines have rotors with solid vanes or “scoops” which rotate about a vertical axis.

2. There is no precise definition for “small wind” but it usually applies to machines with less than 100 kilowatt (kW) ratings. The “ratings” refer to how much power the turbine can instantaneously generate at a specific wind speed. AWEA recently adopted small wind standards, but it will be 12-18 months before any manufacturers are certified against those standards, thus manufacturers are still able to set their ratings at varying wind speeds. It is not uncommon to find one turbine rated at 25mph and another one rated at 48mph. Obviously the higher wind speed used will result in a higher kW rating, so its not a completely useful figure to go by.

3. While kW ratings will give you a general sense for the size of a turbine, what really matters is how much energy it will produce over a period of time. Wind turbine companies provide energy curves that tell how many kilowatt hours (kWhs) you can expect to generate at specific average wind speeds. You can check your monthly electric bills to gain an understanding of how many kWhs you use. Electricity use varies by season and time of day, so ideally you should add up the kWhs of the last 12 months.

4. This should go without saying, but you need wind to create wind power. All turbines have a minimum required wind speed at which they will start to generate power, this is also known in the wind world as the “cut-in” wind speed. It is possible for a turbine to spin at speeds below the cut-in speed, but those rotations won’t be fast enough to actually create energy. The majority of small wind turbines require a minimum of 10mph average annual winds to generate significant energy. Wind power is a cubic function of wind speed. For all you non-math people out there, this means that a little more wind can create a lot more power. When determining average annual wind speeds, a 10mph average annual wind does not mean it blows 10mph all day everyday. Because of the cubic function, a day of high wind can generate enough power to make up for multiple days of low wind. For you math geeks, average wind speeds follow the Rayleigh distribution curve.

5. So, how do you know if you have enough wind to make wind power a feasible option? The most ideal way to know is to install an anemometer where you want to place your turbine. You can get a very good anemometer for around $500 from www.madgetech.com. If you don’t want to wait a year, you can do shorter anemometer tests but you need to realize that wind speeds change with the seasons. Not ready to invest $500 in your research? Check out local weather sites which should provide data on average wind speeds. Local airports are also wonderful resources for this information. The DOD provides wind maps, but these are measured at 50 meter heights (for use by the big wind guys) and are not always localized enough for small wind installations which are very site specific. You can also call a local wind turbine dealer and request a site visit.

6. What about a site? A “site” is the place on your property where you install your turbine. Site location is a crucial element, and will have a major impact on which turbine you can consider. Turbines are best placed with enough open space to allow the wind direct access to the rotor. This does not necessarily require a specific lot size or a totally open and clear site. Many small wind turbines are designed to work in various settings, for instance HAWTs will work if you can put up a large tower and have consistent wind direction. A VAWT maybe a better option if your wind changes directions and you cannot put up a structure taller than 30 feet. Wind speed can also vary drastically on one piece of property due to structures and topography. Always choose the site with the most access to wind.

7. You’ve done your research and know you have a good source of wind. Now it’s time to pick a turbine or turbines. It’s very common for people to put up multiple turbines to meet more of their energy needs. Two big factors to initially consider are the expected power output and the cost of the unit fully installed. Consult the energy curve of each wind turbine to determine how much energy it is likely to create with your average wind speeds over the course of a year. Compare the kWhs at the same wind speeds across wind turbines, while keeping in mind total cost of the unit. A wind turbine that generates 400kWhs for $2,000 is a lot more expensive than a wind turbine that generates 2,000kWhs for $6,500. Also, don’t be fooled by energy curves that show amazing results at 30mph average winds. It is very unlikely that you live in an area with wind speeds of that level and will ever reach those energy levels.

8. The other big factors to consider are the look of the wind turbine and the sound it creates while operating at moderate wind speeds. Try to visit the wind turbines that you are considering (or at least view on video) so that you can see and hear what they sound like when they operate. There are many designs on the market, all with varying looks and sounds. Find a local dealer or contact the manufacturer with questions. This is a big purchase decision, so you should feel comfortable working with the company and its local representative.

Example of Power Curve

9. A final note on independent testing. As I mentioned above, AWEA finally finished their standards but it will be at least a year until any turbines are certified to those standards. Until then, we recommend focusing your search on independently tested wind turbines. Power curves, which turbine companies use to estimate power ratings and energy curves, can be supposed from complex calculations. But, the truest power curves are created from units being independently tested in real world scenarios. It is very easy for manufacturers to create their own power curves, so it is important to look for wind turbines with independently tested data. I recommend avoiding any turbines that do not have their data verified by an independent test facility.