A Skystream 600 could provide up to 80 percent of an average home’s energy requirements.
Southwest Windpower recently unveiled its newest and most efficient small wind turbine at the 2011 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.
The Skystream 600 is the most efficient power grid-connected turbine in its class, able to provide an average of 7,400 kWh of clean, low-cost energy per year per household in 12 mph average annual wind speeds.
While many people might love the idea of harnessing the wind to help reduce their electric bills, it’s quite a task to purchase, erect, and then harvest the power from a traditional wind turbine (not to mention that your neighbors might object to a three story windmill in your backyard).
The Skystream 600 will be the first fully smart grid-enabled wind turbine, making it easy for consumers to connect their homes or businesses to wind-generated electricity. With its state-of-the-art interactive “Skyview” system, users can monitor exactly how much energy the wind turbine is producing from anywhere internet access is available.
Backed by GE, the Skystream 600 is slated to be available to the public by March 2011. As part of its ecomagination clean energy business strategy to drive growth and solve the world’s energy challenges, GE has committed to invest $10 billion in clean technology R&D by 2015, doubling the amount it spent in the past five years.
As interest and investment in wind energy increases, more companies are looking for innovative ways to get this technology into the hands of the public, like these micro and portable wind turbines.
Article by Beth Buczynski, appearing courtesy Crisp Green.
