Products marketing in this category are often anything but “Small Wind”. The average wind speed in most areas is under 15mph. The average “small wind” turbine doesn’t even function at this wind speed! How is Small Wind determined? What is considered “Big Wind”?

When I developed my product I thought it fit into the category “Small Wind”, but now I’m thinking maybe “Micro Wind”. But nobody likes to be called Micro unless you’re a computer chip. The problem with these categories is they are self assigned. If you find your product performs terrible and under market expectations in large wind you simply classify it small wind, some companies simply put a big price tag on their products and tell you it needs a 250 foot pole and classify it big wind…

As an actual user of my own product I understand there are definitive differences in the placement of a product in these categories but do other manufacturers? Placing a turbine in “Small Wind”, let’s say the average residential wind conditions – fewer than 15mph and that is generous, means your product should then produce is rated performance in those specific conditions. However, manufacturers rate and post performance output on their products in what should be considered “Big Wind” conditions, greater than 20mph, but then classify their product as “Small Wind”. Then they justify this by stating in fine print their product should be installed in “Big Wind” conditions on a 60 foot pole where average wind speeds are greater than 20 mph.

I cringe every time I hear a story about how “Small Wind” products don’t perform and are not financially practical. Then to find the writer was making that assumption on a product that was both miss represented as “Small Wind” and substantially over priced to begin with.

The bottom line is “Small Wind” works if you buy a true “Small Wind” product at a good price point! The unfortunate dilemma is there are no guidelines to how a manufacturer rates or publishes data about their products. Very similar to the “healthy – good for you” sticker they put on the food you buy…

When buying Small Wind do a little research. These questions are easy for any manufacture; what is the rated wind speed? What is the cost per kWh at a realistic “Small Wind” average (under 15 mph most likely) speed in your area? Then see if the product will actually produce a return based on the actual performance in real world conditions.

SolAir rated wind speed output: 800 watts at 12 mph (850 watts combined with Solar)
SolAir Cost: Only $1260
SolAir’s cost per kWh at the rated wind speed - Year 1: $ 0.50w, Year 2: $0.17w, Year 3: $ 0.08w