Our wind assessment consulting "business"

This is a note from an alum requesting help with a wind assessment. We have some gear to do this, thanks to several generous donations from NRG Systems, who make the equipment, and are providing this as a free service. We've been doing quite a bit of this lately, and are happy to do more, especially if the "client" is a community or a household that couldn't otherwise afford the assessment work. We have equipment suitable for assessing wind for both very small and very large scale wind power projects, and our students get good training in its safe use, again largely thanks to NRG.

Just email me at mwomersley@unity.edu
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Hi Mick,

I met you at the MOFGA wind power demo last week. I am interested in your service but at this time I am just learning about the various types of wind generators available. I live at XXXX in XXXX. During the winter we can see Mt. Washington through the trees.

My thought is that a 30 to 40 foot wind mill might work on my property. I do not want to go too high to save on the cost. I do have a 10 meter tower but it is about 40 years old.

Anyway, since my operation is a small scale one I am asking if you know of an inexpensive source for an anemometer? I would like to monitor the wind on my property and continue to after the wind generator is up.

BTW I graduated from Unity in 1983 B.S. in Env. Sci.

XXXX

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Dear XXXX:

I have a spare computer logger, anemometer and directional vane on a site now, awaiting reassignment, and I am looking for a site and a new "client" (this is a free service, since I use this gear to teach the science) willing to have me and some students come put it up to gather data on a suitable site. What I don't have is a spare tower. But since you have one, assuming it remains safe, I can put this gear on that tower.

You generally leave the equipment in place for a year to gather the data.

If you want me to come over and scope this out, I'd be glad to. Name the day and time.

If you want your own anemometer equipment, you can buy it online, but frankly for a small scale site, if all you want is a small turbine, you may as well buy a small turbine and use that to find out if you have enough wind for a small turbine! Prices start at $800, which is far less than the computer logger. If you were planning a larger, more expensive installation, such as one of the Bergey's or a Skystream, you might want the data first. I can give you some advice on all this too, and help put it up if need be, again using students for the educational value.

And again, I can come over and help you scope this out, or help you choose what to do.

Mick

Mick Womersley, PhD