Wind Turbine Research Project

Quick Facts About The Project

Location: Indian Lake H.S., Lewistown, OH
Installation date: May 12, 2006
Cost: Approximately $70,000 (including data monitoring and other specialized equipment
Installer: Third Sun Solar and Wind Power, Ltd., Athens, Ohio
Tower: 100-foot non-guyed lattice tower assembled by Indian Lake H.S. students
Turbine: Bergey Windpower Excel
Turbine blades: 22-foot diameter, fiberglass
Turbine/generator capacity: 10 kilowatts
Est. generator output: 583 kWh/month, donated to Indian Lake H.S.
Wind speeds: Startup 7 mph; full power 31 mphContact: Indian Lake H.S. - Rich Glink, sciences teacher, 937-686-8851

Recent Events:
The inverter tripped on 3/3/12 due to "over voltage" and was reset on 3/6/12.

The monitoring equipment has been replaced and is working again as of Nov. 8, 2011.

The "economics" of a 10KW system based on the Indian Lake Wind Turbine Research Project:

Average yearly generation over past 5 ½ years: 6,000 kWh/yr

Average revenue @ $.117/kWh (Average Ohio cooperative retail rate): $ 700/yr

Average yearly maintenance cost over past 5 ½ years: $1,147/yr
(includes inverter repairs due to lighting in May, 2008 & May, 2011)

Yearly amortized cost on original $50,000 investment (@ 6% interest): $4,359/yr
(adjusted for monitoring equipment and other specialized features)

Net yearly income or (expense) (Revenue minus maintenance minus amoritization): $ (4,806/yr)

Cost of wind generation (Net yearly expense divided by yearly generation): $0.80/kWh

Average yearly capacity factor: 6,000 kWh/yr / (10 kW x 8760 hr/yr) = 7%

Click here to view Maintenance and Repair History and further Economic Details

Maintenance/Repair History

Economics