Wind Energy

Small wind turbines are not the same as large-scale wind turbines that are often in the news. These large-scale wind turbines are often grouped together in wind farms and the power is fed directly to the utility grid. Small turbines or residential wind turbines are different. While they can be grid-tied, meaning you will send excess power to the grid, they must be hooked up to an existing residential or business electrical service. This means that the homeowner or business owner will use the power produced first and the excess will be credited to you (in Nova Scotia). In other words, you cannot hook up a small wind turbine directly to the grid and get paid. Unlike large-scale wind turbines, small wind applications do not require the wind studies or environmental assessments; their installation is largely dependent on the municipal bylaws, which in most rural areas, there are no requirements. In other rural, suburban or urban areas, municipal bylaws may restrict the use or have requirements for building permits, heights, and set-backs.

A small wind turbine system has 3-basic parts that include the blades, an alternator/generator and a tower. When the blades of a wind turbine turn, they cause magnets to rotate in the alternator thus generating electricity. An inverter is a part of the wind turbine system with most grid-tied wind turbines to convert the power produced by the turbine to utility acceptable AC power. The amount of electricity produced by a wind turbine depends on its size, the wind speed and it’s location. Ideally a wind turbine should be above all structures, including buildings, trees and hills (a minimum of 20-feet above all structures within 300 feet is recommended); otherwise they will experience turbulence, dramatically reducing the energy production and life of your wind turbine.

We offer primarily horizontal wind-axis turbines, meaning the shaft of the turbine is parallel to the ground. We do offer one vertical-axis wind turbine, meaning that the turbine axis is perpendicular to the ground. Vertical axis wind turbines usually require a larger footprint to produce the same energy as a horizontal wind-axis turbine; however, they can be mounted closer to the ground (some are mounted on the roof), are less susceptible to turbulence and are significantly quieter. The cost per kilowatt of a vertical axis wind-turbine is higher than that of a horizontal-axis, but the savings seen in the tower costs can offset the higher price.

The obvious benefits of a wind turbine include the environment (no pollution), cost and energy independence. With any technology that has moving parts, there are issues to be aware of, including maintenance, safety, extreme weather, noise, and aesthetics.

For more information on wind energy, visit the Canadian Wind Energy Association Small Wind Energy Site.

Whenever possible we offer local or Canadian made products. We offer a number of Canadian made small wind turbines. We also offer South West Wind and Bergey wind power products.

For information on other wind turbines not listed on this site, please contact Nova Sun Power.