Made in the U.S.A.
Aerostar has developed a new family of small wind turbines called the INDEPENDENCE 10-30. We think the name expresses some of the most important reasons for owning a small wind turbine: energy independence; independence from nonrenewable sources of energy, independence from foreign control of our primary sources of energy and the independence to do our part in combating global warming.
Energy Independence is an idea who’s time has come. Like freedom, it is an idea that should be thought of in the same way we think of our national independence — our liberty. Independence is both an ideal and a physical reality. Energy Independence must be pursued with the same patriotic spirit that formed the basis for winning and sustaining American democracy and freedom. We hope the name INDEPENDENCE will resonate with many folks in our country and help to facilitate many installations of the first small wind turbine with real potential to have a substantial impact on distributed power generation and a reduction of our dependence on nonrenewable sources of energy. The INDEPENDENCE is truly American innovation at its best.
AEROSTAR INDEPENDENCE Wind Turbine Family The INDEPENDENCE has evolved into more than just a 30 kW turbine. It is a new concept in small wind turbine design that offers unprecedented flexibility and the potential for cost effectiveness beyond any small wind system presently in production. At the root of this concept is the efficient low Reynolds number rotor, 40 feet in diameter with a swept area of more than 1,200 square feet. This is three times larger than most 10 kW turbines, so expect at least 3 times the power production of most 10 kW systems.
The INDEPENDENCE is offered in versions ranging from 10 kW to 30 kW. All versions use the same basic rotor design and diameter. In winds at or below 12 MPH, the INDEPENDENCE-10 (10 kW) will actually produce more power than the INDEPENDENCE-30 (30 kW). It is a turbine ideally suited to low wind speed regimes. Because much of the US has average wind speeds of 12 MPH or less, this turbine opens up vast areas of the country that were formerly not economically practical for wind power. At sites where the average wind speed is higher, the INDEPENDENCE-30 will produce more power. The important point is that owners of Aerostar Independence turbines have CHOICE!
The Independence family will allow the turbine to be rated to comply with funding or utility limits in a particular jurisdiction. For example, some jurisdictions limit capacity to 25 kW. We have designed the Independence so that it can be easily de-rated to meet many location specific requirements.
The image at the left shows an actual scale model of a rotor of a typical 10 kW wind turbine -Inner Circle, and the Independence rotor - Outer circle. It is an established fact that wind turbines produce power in proportion to rotor swept area. The larger the rotor the more power that will be produced. Because area increases with the square of the rotor radius, a 40 foot rotor will produce 4 times the power of a 20 foot rotor.
In the image, the INDEPENDENCE rotor is compared to a 22 foot rotor. Because the INDEPENDENCE sweeps 3.5 times the area of the smaller rotor, it will produce about 3.5 times the power.
There is no magic or silver bullet in small wind turbine design or efficiency - the laws of physics always apply. For a given wind speed, the amount of power you get is pretty much dependent on the size of your wind turbine rotor.