http://www.pinchercreekecho.com/News/412297.html
Quote:
“We have a pilot program to bring micro generation to the mass market,” said Rob Falconer, director of distributed generation with Enmax.
“Essentially what we’ve found is a 12-foot diameter (referring to the length of the blades) turbine system that would sit on a 33-foot tower, about the size of a flag pole, with a little unit about the size of a two-drawer filing cabinet which weighs about 300 pounds,” Falconer said.
The Skystream ‘residential power appliance’ will “produce two kilowatts per hour with good winds and we expect that in your locale you would get about, on average, 500 kilowatt hours per month which is about two thirds of the average home consumption in Alberta,” he said.
Skystream does not replace the current system for a consumer, but is designed to be hooked into the home’s existing electrical panel and store any excess energy on the grid.
In fact, under the new micro generation regulations that come into effective Jan. 1, 2009 in Alberta, homeowners can be paid for any excess generation they put into the grid, Falconer said.
Enmax already has selectively placed the Skystream units around the southern part of the province.
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Could be a major, major breakthrough. Especially in my area, where there is a ton of wind. Rather than using a windfarm that is unable to 'store' electricity, each household could generate their own electricity. Of course, the cost would have too off-set the price of electricity. The government should get involved, and provide tax breaks, or incentives to the people who buy these generators.