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Cropwatch: Bioenergy

Small Wind

Endurance small turbine, photo by John Hay

This Endurance S-343 is a small wind turbine which can generate approximately 5,000 to 14,000 kWh per year.

Small Wind

 


Questions to Ask When Considering a Small Wind Turbine

Nebguide #2022, published May 2010.
This publication provides questions to ask before buying a small wind generator system for residential, business, or farm use.
View this publication
 

Managing Your Expectations - Sizing a Small Wind Turbine to Your Load

Webinar archived from Oct 15, 2009
Hosted by the High Plains Extension Energy Team. This webcast explains the process of sizing a wind turbine to a specific load. Topics to be covered include: wind characteristics, sources of wind data, estimating wind turbine energy production, sizing & selection example, and small wind turbine economic analysis. This presentation will give participants the tools they need to evaluate the performance and economics of a small wind turbine project. Speaker: Tony Jimenez, National Renewable Energy Lab
Watch the archived presentation

Basics of Farm/Residential Small Wind Turbines

Webcast archived from Friday, February 13, 2009
Hosted by High Plains Extension Energy Team for Community Development, this webcast gave an overview of small wind turbines. Speaker: Tony Jimenez, National Renewable Energy Lab
Watch the archived presentation:

Small Wind, Solar, and Photovoltaic for Homes and Businesses

Jon Dixon, Dixon Power Systems
View presentation


Federal Incentives for Renewable Energy

Two federal incentives exist to help with cost of renewable energy systems:

1) 30% federal tax credit; More information

2) Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) through USDA rural development.
    Eligibility is for agricultural producers and rural businesses.
   USDA REAP/RES/EEI page

Net Metering In Nebraska

The Basics: The summary of Nebraska's new net metering legislation and what qualifies, what doesn't. To get details go to the  June 2009 Web Seminar.

 

Other Resources

Small Wind Certification Council - SWCC: An independent certification body, certifies that small wind turbines meet or exceed the requirements of the AWEA small wind turbine performance and safety standard.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory - NREL Small Wind Turbine Research

North Carolina Wind Energy at Appalachian State University - Small Wind Research and Demonstration Site

American Wind Energy Association (AWEA): site of the U.S. Wind Trade Group. This comprehensive Web site covers many different aspects of wind energy technology and policy including an extensive section on small wind.

Wind Powering America: A comprehensive site which focuses more on specific groups such as Native Americans, rural communities, and public power.

Windustry: This site is devoted to community wind. Includes many resources for would-be developers and land owners.

DSIRE: This site is a searchable database of state and federal incentives for renewables and efficiency programs

For students with an interest in alternative energies, UNL is now offering an Energy Sciences minor.