Jun 3 2008
Environmentally conscious consumers now have a new, affordable choice for renewable energy options for their home or business. Mariah Power of Reno, Nevada announced today at Windpower 2008, the nation's largest gathering of the wind industry, that its small wind power appliance Windspire(R) is now available for purchase. Priced at $4,995 for a fully-integrated unit with a five year warranty, Windspire provides power and efficiencies comparable to propeller turbines at a very competitive cost. A vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT), Windspire offers a sleek design that sets it apart from more traditional horizontal (propeller) turbines. Its sleek structure and customizable paint colors enable Windspire to blend into many different settings, an aesthetic that sets it apart from its competitors in the small wind turbine market.
With an eye toward building consumer confidence and trust in its new product, Mariah Power has taken the rare step of subjecting Windspire to independent, real world testing at Windward Engineering in Spanish Forks, Utah.
"In the current economic climate, an increasing number of consumers and businesses are demanding affordable renewable energy options to control rising energy costs," said Mike Hess, CEO of Mariah Power. "The challenge has always been creating a renewable energy option with proven effectiveness that doesn't throw aesthetics out the window. Windspire's tall, sleek unit is attractive and unassuming and the design's effectiveness is being confirmed by an independent test facility. As in any emerging industry, there have been product misfires. We are securing third-party validation, a very unusual step, because we want to prove that Windspire is the real deal -- efficient, powerful and reliable."
ENGINEERING AND DESIGN ELEMENTS
Mariah Power's patented technology maximizes the energy conversion from the wind to the power provided to homes or businesses, regardless of wind speed. Windspire features a fully integrated, plug 'n produce(TM) design, including a high efficiency generator, integrated inverter, wireless performance monitor and tilt-up monopole. Slow rotor speeds provide for quiet operation and improved safety and durability. Guidelines for installation sites are a minimum half an acre of land and ideally, 12 mile per hour average winds. Windspire produces about 2000 kWh of electricity in these wind conditions. It connects to the household power supply, offsetting electricity use and, at times, running the electricity meter backwards. It is priced at about half the cost of comparable renewable energy power options and can be quickly and easily installed by authorized dealers.
INITIAL INSTALLATIONS
Windspire has been successfully installed in varying settings, demonstrating its versatility and effectiveness. Some prominent initial installations include: the United States Botanic Garden's "One Planet -- Ours! Sustainability for the 22nd Century," exhibition on the Mall in Washington, D.C., which runs through October 13, 2008; and at the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) National Wind Technology Center near Golden, Colorado for inclusion in independent testing on commercially available turbine systems with a high probability of success in the U.S. market.