Helix Wind's The S322 vertical wind turbine
(Credit: Helix Wind)Helix Wind announced Wednesday that it's beginning a trial run in Southern California to see if its wind turbines might be useful for powering cell phone towers.
The manufacturer is becoming known for its small vertical-axis wind turbines that can generate electricity with winds as low as 10 mph, as well as its unique business model to finance them.
The pilot program, conducted in conjunction with cell phone tower operator Core Communications, will experiment with whether the turbines powering cell phone towers could also generate surplus energy to sell back to the energy grid.
If they generate enough surplus power, small wind turbines could provide a new source of income for cell phone tower operators as well as a new power source.
Helix Wind's turbines, which will be installed in early 2010, will run for up to three months before being re-evaluated.
According to statistics provided by Helix Wind, there are approximately 3,500 cell phone towers in Southern California, and another 1,000 expected to be added in the next five years to cover consumer growth.
Twister 300-T
Twister 1000-T
Vertikon H50
(Credit: Venco)Helix Wind has signed a definitive purchase agreement to acquire Venco Power, a Germany-based manufacturer of vertical axis small wind turbines, for $3.9 million in cash and common stock, the company announced Thursday.
With Venco comes greater access to the small wind residential market in Europe, along with three new products the company plans to add to its small wind product line, according to Helix Wind CEO Ian Gardner.
While all three models are for the small wind market, each has a distinctive look and different capacities. The Venco Twister 300-T produces power at wind speeds as low as 3.5 meters per second (7.8 mph); it starts rotating at 3.0 meters per second, and its claim to fame is that it's "virtually quiet." The Twister 1000-T makes the same noise and power claims as the 300-T, but has a different look and begins to start rotating at a wind speed of 1.5 meters per second. The Vertikon H50 will begin generating power at speeds as low as 2.5 meters per second.
Venco also has an online calculator (for Java applet-friendly browsers) for estimating how much power one can expect each particular turbine product to generate. Potential customers input average wind speeds for each month of the year at their location, and can change which turbine the figures are applied to.
"We're also excited to bring German engineering talent and technology to the quest for alternative energy," Gardner said in a statement.
The news follows Helix Wind's August announcement offering a unique financial fix for the initial cash outlay that residential customers and dealers face when getting into wind power.
The Helix S322 vertical wind turbine is designed for urban spaces.
(Credit: Helix Wind)While wind turbines save money on power in the long term, the initial outlay for buying and installing one can be prohibitive to many homeowners even if they live in a state that offers generous rebates.
Helix Wind makes relatively small vertical-axis wind turbines that can generate electricity with winds as low as 10 mph. These small-scale wind turbines are designed for residential and small-business owners looking for microgeneration.
It may be a classic business model that helps potential customers fund this new technology.
Helix Wind has partnered with Atoll Financial Group, a financial services company based in Washington, D.C., to offer loans for its small wind turbines. It's similar to car manufacturers with a financing arm for auto loans or furniture stores that offer financing for a dining room set.
The financing packages offered in conjunction with Atoll will vary by market, country, and type of customer, according to Helix Wind CEO Ian Gardner.
"We conduct an extensive fact-finding process with potential customers to determine the best solution for their particular set of financial and resource conditions," Gardner said in an e-mail.
The plan will also include financing to enable distributors to carry more inventory thereby decreasing the time it takes to meet customer orders, according to Helix Wind.
Because the small wind turbine systems can be configured to for either residential and commercial properties, the systems range widely in price--between $4,500 to $250,000. But the company's Web site does offer some guidelines in terms of initial outlay.
"A 5-kW (kilowatt) grid-connected residential-scale system generally costs ($20,000) to 25,000 to install. The best candidates for these systems are homes and businesses with at least a half acre of property, a Class 3 or better wind resource, and utility bills averaging $150 per month or more," according to Helix Wind.
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