info@truenorthpower.com
A Publication of the FREE Wind Press - May be re-printed for personal use only
Copyright (C) 2007 TRUE-NORTH Power Systems
For commercial or non-profit publication contact TRUE-NORTH Power Systems
Lion's Head ON N0H 1W0 - (519) 793-3290
A Publication of the FREE Wind Press - May be re-printed for personal use only
Copyright (C) 2007 TRUE-NORTH Power Systems
For commercial or non-profit publication contact TRUE-NORTH Power Systems
Lion's Head ON N0H 1W0 - (519) 793-3290
Issue 1:6 Headlines: July 2003
- CanWEA Conference heads to Pincher Creek Alberta Sep 03
- Too Many Suppliers. Why can't I just buy a system?
- LAKOTAs from Puerto Rico to Newfoundland
- The Case for Encouraging Private Energy Systems
- Understanding Kilowatt Hours, Amp Hours and Battery Capacity
- Designing a Hybrid System with the WS ROMulator
CANWEA Conference Heads to Pincher Creek Alberta Sep 03
The Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) is meeting in Pincher Creek Alberta, one of the most notable wind sites in Canada for their annual conference 2003. The conference speakers list is being organized by Samit Sharma P.Eng,MBA, Director - Projects at Gaia Power Inc. Kingston, Ontario, who is also on the Board of Directors for CanWEA. Here's his recent note on the planned agenda. Note, topics and speakers are not all finalized at this point but this should give you a flavour for what is being covered in the entire day devoted to SMALL WIND systems.
Email from Samit:
We have a pretty packed agenda for the small wind session. Each speaker will have about 15 minutes. In inviting the panel of speakers - I have tried to make sure that we have sufficient representation of maufacturers who make different ranges of turbines, have representation from accessories manufacturers, policy, regulations, standards, and organizations involved in hybrid generation. CanWEA receives lot of inquiries for small winds and this is the first time we are having such a session. Currently some policy initiatives are in progress at both Federal and Provincial level to encourage small wind. The upcoming wind conference will provide a platform to showcase not only what is available, but discuss what will encourage small wind development in Canada. Conference details can be found at: http://www.canwea.ca/AnnualConference.html
Technology Update: Small Wind Development Session - Monday Sep 22, Pincher Creek, Alberta
1:15-1:20 Samit Sharma - Overview in Canada, potential, and the work done to date
1:20-1:30 Stephen Calland - Associate Director of North Carolina solar, and editor of monthly interconnect newsletter published by interstate renewable council will give overview of Small Wind Progress in NA, the progress and obstacles encountered, what is the trend and future growth.
1:30-1:45 Malcolm Lodge - President of AOC wind turbines, and Island Technologies An overview of their system, systems installed, future plans, current challenges, and market applications for 50KW systems
1:45-2:00 Marco Mingarelli, Executive Vice-President - Vergnet Canada Inc. An overview of their system, systems installed, future plans, current challengs, and market applications for 10-275 KW systems
2:00-2:15 Al Paulissen, President of Wenvor Tech Inc. An overview of their system, systems installed, future plans, current challengs, and market applications for 25 KW systems
2:15-2:30 Dave Cooke, President of True North Power Systems An overview of their system, systems installed, future plans, current challengs, and market applications for less than 2 KW systems
2:30-2:45 Mike Behnke - VP and GM of Xantrex Group, manufacturs inverter systems for wind integration Mike will address the interconnection issues, accessories for interconnection, their capabilites, safety concerns, and grid integration
2:45-3:00 Sylvian Martel - Govt. head of Micro Power Connect Sylvian will address regulations and interconnection requirements and the proposed standards.
3:00-3:15 Perry Cecchini - Manager, Ontairo ministry of energy Perry will discuss the policy on netmetering in Ontario, and will elaborate on design of settlement mechanism in Ontario
3:15-3:30 Brad Reeve, General Manager of Kotzebue Energy Cooperative, Alaska Brad will elaborate on their operational experience in small wind systems and diesel systems integration that are currently in works in Alaska
3:30-3:45 Bernard Saulnier - IRAQ - Quebec Hydro Bernard will elaborate on R&D and integration issues of wind diesel hybrid generation, and their integration in Canada
The Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) is meeting in Pincher Creek Alberta, one of the most notable wind sites in Canada for their annual conference 2003. The conference speakers list is being organized by Samit Sharma P.Eng,MBA, Director - Projects at Gaia Power Inc. Kingston, Ontario, who is also on the Board of Directors for CanWEA. Here's his recent note on the planned agenda. Note, topics and speakers are not all finalized at this point but this should give you a flavour for what is being covered in the entire day devoted to SMALL WIND systems.
Email from Samit:
We have a pretty packed agenda for the small wind session. Each speaker will have about 15 minutes. In inviting the panel of speakers - I have tried to make sure that we have sufficient representation of maufacturers who make different ranges of turbines, have representation from accessories manufacturers, policy, regulations, standards, and organizations involved in hybrid generation. CanWEA receives lot of inquiries for small winds and this is the first time we are having such a session. Currently some policy initiatives are in progress at both Federal and Provincial level to encourage small wind. The upcoming wind conference will provide a platform to showcase not only what is available, but discuss what will encourage small wind development in Canada. Conference details can be found at: http://www.canwea.ca/AnnualConference.html
Technology Update: Small Wind Development Session - Monday Sep 22, Pincher Creek, Alberta
1:15-1:20 Samit Sharma - Overview in Canada, potential, and the work done to date
1:20-1:30 Stephen Calland - Associate Director of North Carolina solar, and editor of monthly interconnect newsletter published by interstate renewable council will give overview of Small Wind Progress in NA, the progress and obstacles encountered, what is the trend and future growth.
1:30-1:45 Malcolm Lodge - President of AOC wind turbines, and Island Technologies An overview of their system, systems installed, future plans, current challenges, and market applications for 50KW systems
1:45-2:00 Marco Mingarelli, Executive Vice-President - Vergnet Canada Inc. An overview of their system, systems installed, future plans, current challengs, and market applications for 10-275 KW systems
2:00-2:15 Al Paulissen, President of Wenvor Tech Inc. An overview of their system, systems installed, future plans, current challengs, and market applications for 25 KW systems
2:15-2:30 Dave Cooke, President of True North Power Systems An overview of their system, systems installed, future plans, current challengs, and market applications for less than 2 KW systems
2:30-2:45 Mike Behnke - VP and GM of Xantrex Group, manufacturs inverter systems for wind integration Mike will address the interconnection issues, accessories for interconnection, their capabilites, safety concerns, and grid integration
2:45-3:00 Sylvian Martel - Govt. head of Micro Power Connect Sylvian will address regulations and interconnection requirements and the proposed standards.
3:00-3:15 Perry Cecchini - Manager, Ontairo ministry of energy Perry will discuss the policy on netmetering in Ontario, and will elaborate on design of settlement mechanism in Ontario
3:15-3:30 Brad Reeve, General Manager of Kotzebue Energy Cooperative, Alaska Brad will elaborate on their operational experience in small wind systems and diesel systems integration that are currently in works in Alaska
3:30-3:45 Bernard Saulnier - IRAQ - Quebec Hydro Bernard will elaborate on R&D and integration issues of wind diesel hybrid generation, and their integration in Canada
Too Many Suppliers, Why can't I just buy a system?
With all the new systems available from so many sources it's hard to understand why you can't buy a renewable energy system like you buy a car or a boat. You find you can't honestly compare systems because each system is a different configuration unless it is very generic and not designed to meet your needs. To do it yourself, you have to go to one manufacturer to buy a turbine another for inverters, and still another for solar panels or batteries. Yes some suppliers will source them all for you and many are experts at what they do. But even they cannot be experts on all the combinations. For the consumer, there are still too many questions from too many sources. . . and too much research to do, if all you want to do is just plug it in and have it save you some energy costs. I know how you feel. I felt the same way a few years ago. But here's what I found. You can educate yourself to a certain level just by talking to end users and then when you feel like you can understand the system from a user's perspective you can more easily work with a good "systems" expert who can help you design a complete package for your needs and budget.
The simple fact is the industry and it's current technology is still quite new, your neighbour is not likey to have one and most manufactures are specialists. Some manufacturers make good turbines and others specialize in inverters. The suppliers are familiar with some of the components and not others, and of course it's impossible to try or even evaluate all the different manufacturer's equipment or become knowleadgeable with more than a few combinations. In addition, there will always be new and better components coming out from new suppliers who offer a better solution, while those with tried and true configurations of familiar components are less likely to want to experiment when they know what they have works. The trouble with that is some "experts" are slow to adopt new technology until it's fully tested over many years. If you only want time tested equipment now, you'll likely be working only with older, heavier, less efficient technology.
The renewable energy business is kind of like the computer business was about 25 years ago. Anyone remember buying a ALTAIR computer in the late 70's, or wiring their own Heathkit from Radio Shack? It's kind of like that. There are wiring diagrams and schematics to understand if you want to or you are going to have to put your trust and some dollars into hiring an systems designer/installer. It's going to take a few years yet to get to the point where you can order a system from a major retailer and know what you are getting will be just what you need for the next 20 years. Think of it this way, you are going to buy about 10 years worth of energy all at once, and then you will produce your own energy for no additional cost for the next 15-20 years. There's the real tangible payback everyone is looking for. Instead of worring about rising fuel and energy costs you will have fixed the cost of that energy for the life of the system. Yes, you should also account for a little maintenance perhaps to be realistic, but overall you know you can relax about the price of that 20 years of electricity, while your neighbours worry about deregulation or the next price hike.
If you are not one who likes to tinker or experiment with new equipment, the best way to deal with this for now, is to get educated on your own, so you can discuss your options with a supplier/installer. Check the web and look for sites that explain things rather than just sell you on their equipment with charts and specifications. Remember, the person who makes the batteries may know little or nothing about wind turbines or inverters. Find products and suppliers though sites like sourceguides or other sites that are not actually selling you the system.
Try www.sourceguides.com. Then look for a Dealer or Installer you can trust to help you design a system for your specific needs, or perhaps have them do the whole analysis for you to find an appropriate equipment set. Call a supplier and ask to talk to a technician, not just the sales guy . . . or gal . . . yes, there are some very knowledgeable and helpful women in the business. Do they have time for you on the phone? Do they listen to what you want or are they just giving you the "sales talk"? Do they explain things and answer your questions in simple terms that you can understand? Call them more than once and see if the response is similar.
By all means, be wary of suppliers who bad mouth or gossip about the competition. Any reputable dealer will acknowledge that different systems offer different advantages and disadvantages. No single product can satisfy all needs. New technology will always offer some advantages over the older designs. That's why new systems and equipment are always being introduced. If all you hear is negative about their competitors or other products they don't carry, it's likely they aren't very confident about the suitability or performance of their own equipment. Chances are they don't even know much in the way of facts about their competition's product, and the Internet is full of negative gossip that tries to discredit new technology, usually because people just tend to repeat what they hear without having any first hand knowledge.
With all the new systems available from so many sources it's hard to understand why you can't buy a renewable energy system like you buy a car or a boat. You find you can't honestly compare systems because each system is a different configuration unless it is very generic and not designed to meet your needs. To do it yourself, you have to go to one manufacturer to buy a turbine another for inverters, and still another for solar panels or batteries. Yes some suppliers will source them all for you and many are experts at what they do. But even they cannot be experts on all the combinations. For the consumer, there are still too many questions from too many sources. . . and too much research to do, if all you want to do is just plug it in and have it save you some energy costs. I know how you feel. I felt the same way a few years ago. But here's what I found. You can educate yourself to a certain level just by talking to end users and then when you feel like you can understand the system from a user's perspective you can more easily work with a good "systems" expert who can help you design a complete package for your needs and budget.
The simple fact is the industry and it's current technology is still quite new, your neighbour is not likey to have one and most manufactures are specialists. Some manufacturers make good turbines and others specialize in inverters. The suppliers are familiar with some of the components and not others, and of course it's impossible to try or even evaluate all the different manufacturer's equipment or become knowleadgeable with more than a few combinations. In addition, there will always be new and better components coming out from new suppliers who offer a better solution, while those with tried and true configurations of familiar components are less likely to want to experiment when they know what they have works. The trouble with that is some "experts" are slow to adopt new technology until it's fully tested over many years. If you only want time tested equipment now, you'll likely be working only with older, heavier, less efficient technology.
The renewable energy business is kind of like the computer business was about 25 years ago. Anyone remember buying a ALTAIR computer in the late 70's, or wiring their own Heathkit from Radio Shack? It's kind of like that. There are wiring diagrams and schematics to understand if you want to or you are going to have to put your trust and some dollars into hiring an systems designer/installer. It's going to take a few years yet to get to the point where you can order a system from a major retailer and know what you are getting will be just what you need for the next 20 years. Think of it this way, you are going to buy about 10 years worth of energy all at once, and then you will produce your own energy for no additional cost for the next 15-20 years. There's the real tangible payback everyone is looking for. Instead of worring about rising fuel and energy costs you will have fixed the cost of that energy for the life of the system. Yes, you should also account for a little maintenance perhaps to be realistic, but overall you know you can relax about the price of that 20 years of electricity, while your neighbours worry about deregulation or the next price hike.
If you are not one who likes to tinker or experiment with new equipment, the best way to deal with this for now, is to get educated on your own, so you can discuss your options with a supplier/installer. Check the web and look for sites that explain things rather than just sell you on their equipment with charts and specifications. Remember, the person who makes the batteries may know little or nothing about wind turbines or inverters. Find products and suppliers though sites like sourceguides or other sites that are not actually selling you the system.
Try www.sourceguides.com. Then look for a Dealer or Installer you can trust to help you design a system for your specific needs, or perhaps have them do the whole analysis for you to find an appropriate equipment set. Call a supplier and ask to talk to a technician, not just the sales guy . . . or gal . . . yes, there are some very knowledgeable and helpful women in the business. Do they have time for you on the phone? Do they listen to what you want or are they just giving you the "sales talk"? Do they explain things and answer your questions in simple terms that you can understand? Call them more than once and see if the response is similar.
By all means, be wary of suppliers who bad mouth or gossip about the competition. Any reputable dealer will acknowledge that different systems offer different advantages and disadvantages. No single product can satisfy all needs. New technology will always offer some advantages over the older designs. That's why new systems and equipment are always being introduced. If all you hear is negative about their competitors or other products they don't carry, it's likely they aren't very confident about the suitability or performance of their own equipment. Chances are they don't even know much in the way of facts about their competition's product, and the Internet is full of negative gossip that tries to discredit new technology, usually because people just tend to repeat what they hear without having any first hand knowledge.
LAKOTAs installed from Puerto Rico to Newfoundland
Now that AEROMAX has their manufacturing running smoothly this year, LAKOTAs are starting to pop up all over the place.
CASA SOLAR LATIENDA
The first new LAKOTA installed in Puerto Rico was done on June 10th by Casa Solar Latienda in Puerto Rico. Lino Aponte says he's pleased with the installation "The turbine is working excellent!!!" he said and he's now enjoying the warm Caribbean winds more these days.
[missing images]
Now that AEROMAX has their manufacturing running smoothly this year, LAKOTAs are starting to pop up all over the place.
CASA SOLAR LATIENDA
The first new LAKOTA installed in Puerto Rico was done on June 10th by Casa Solar Latienda in Puerto Rico. Lino Aponte says he's pleased with the installation "The turbine is working excellent!!!" he said and he's now enjoying the warm Caribbean winds more these days.
[missing images]
LABRADOR COASTAL EQUIPMENT
Gerry Skinner of Labrador Coastal Equipment has made Joe Rideout of Newfoundland very happy when he installed the first LAKOTA "on the rock". Joe is a high steel kind of guy and enjoyed building his own custom tower from spare industrial tower parts. We immediately "pegged" the ammeter at over 30amps in a 15-20mph wind when we turned the switch on. "Guess we'll have to get you a bigger meter" said Gerry. Labrador Coastal Equipment is planning lots more LAKOTA installs and a couple of ground breaking wind projects next year . . . we'll keep you informed. You can contact Gerry atsolarwind@roadrunner.nf.net
[missing images x 5]
Gerry Skinner of Labrador Coastal Equipment has made Joe Rideout of Newfoundland very happy when he installed the first LAKOTA "on the rock". Joe is a high steel kind of guy and enjoyed building his own custom tower from spare industrial tower parts. We immediately "pegged" the ammeter at over 30amps in a 15-20mph wind when we turned the switch on. "Guess we'll have to get you a bigger meter" said Gerry. Labrador Coastal Equipment is planning lots more LAKOTA installs and a couple of ground breaking wind projects next year . . . we'll keep you informed. You can contact Gerry atsolarwind@roadrunner.nf.net
[missing images x 5]
The Case for Encouraging Private Energy Systems
The Ontario government and other provincial and federal initiative have recognized the value of renewable energy systems and have begun drafting and passing legislation to assist companies who invest in or build wind or solar generators. But what about the average citizen? Too much is focused on commercialization and too little attention perhaps to the individual who invests their own after tax dollars in private energy generation.
Ontario has made some efforts by refunding the PST on renewable energy installations since March 03. You still have to apply for it. That's 8% off the top but not much an incentive to invest for most people, yet businesses are being offered 100% depreciation in the first year and other significant incentives as well as the PST rebate. The Federal government has not been very vocal about how they plan to meet the Kyoto Accord after all the press they created by having signed it. In the meantime, a number of forward thinking Canadians are putting up a larger percentage of their own risk capital with no government support because they know where the cost of energy is headed and they are not willing trust the "controlled open market" to protect us from the real cost of energy.
Everyone knows the real cost of energy, in Ontario at least, is not the 4.3 cents per kWHr that the government has "frozen" but neither is the actual price we pay on our electricity bill. That price does not include the debt or the operating or maintenance costs of coal and nuclear plants for example. Those dollars are forever buried in our provincial AND federal taxes. Remember, those federal transfer payments go to support a lot more than health care or education, and the only way coal or nuclear power plants or even hydro power ever gets funded is through our taxes.
It cannot be proven here, so this is only for discussion purposes, but there is a case to be made that every kilowatt generated by an individual, at the end of the distribution chain, is worth 2, 3 kilowatts or perhaps more one delivered by a commercial generating station. This is more true for coal and nuclear perhaps and less for hydro or commercial wind generators, but true none-the-less. Only the multiplier remains to be proven. This is because there is much more energy used and electricity made than actually gets to your TV or fridge and is used. This is particularly true when you consider the inefficiency of producing electricity by heating coal or the cost of operating, and maintaining a nuclear plant. Sure, you can get a lot of heat for a very long time from a very small lump of uranium, but what's the whole operating cost over the life of the system, including waste disposal. Add those numbers up and don't forget to include the 8-12% distribution losses and the cost of operating the distribution system and you'll have a very large cost base. That's the real cost of energy that most people refuse to face. Wind turbines however, including those large commercial turbines have a relatively fixed and predictable cost base for the life of the system, perhaps 15-20 years.
This is not to say we should dump all that infrastructure and have everyone buy a personal turbine for their back yard. What it means is that governments, generating plants, distribution and regulatory agencies should recognize the VALUE that distributed private generators make to the system and encourage such personal investment, as a means to offset the total system demand. This would not only encourage private and public commerce as well as R&D for small wind systems, but also reduce the electrical demands significantly once popular and produce a more reliable rural electrical grid.
Just a thought for the day for politicians, utilities and beaurocrates to consider. Find ways to cut the red tape and unnecessary beaurocracy based on "We'd like to help, but sorry that's not our call. You'll have to get some other jurisdiction/agency/department/inspector/council to agree first". We need to offer clear incentives and simple approval processes that encourage people to install their own generators.
The Ontario government and other provincial and federal initiative have recognized the value of renewable energy systems and have begun drafting and passing legislation to assist companies who invest in or build wind or solar generators. But what about the average citizen? Too much is focused on commercialization and too little attention perhaps to the individual who invests their own after tax dollars in private energy generation.
Ontario has made some efforts by refunding the PST on renewable energy installations since March 03. You still have to apply for it. That's 8% off the top but not much an incentive to invest for most people, yet businesses are being offered 100% depreciation in the first year and other significant incentives as well as the PST rebate. The Federal government has not been very vocal about how they plan to meet the Kyoto Accord after all the press they created by having signed it. In the meantime, a number of forward thinking Canadians are putting up a larger percentage of their own risk capital with no government support because they know where the cost of energy is headed and they are not willing trust the "controlled open market" to protect us from the real cost of energy.
Everyone knows the real cost of energy, in Ontario at least, is not the 4.3 cents per kWHr that the government has "frozen" but neither is the actual price we pay on our electricity bill. That price does not include the debt or the operating or maintenance costs of coal and nuclear plants for example. Those dollars are forever buried in our provincial AND federal taxes. Remember, those federal transfer payments go to support a lot more than health care or education, and the only way coal or nuclear power plants or even hydro power ever gets funded is through our taxes.
It cannot be proven here, so this is only for discussion purposes, but there is a case to be made that every kilowatt generated by an individual, at the end of the distribution chain, is worth 2, 3 kilowatts or perhaps more one delivered by a commercial generating station. This is more true for coal and nuclear perhaps and less for hydro or commercial wind generators, but true none-the-less. Only the multiplier remains to be proven. This is because there is much more energy used and electricity made than actually gets to your TV or fridge and is used. This is particularly true when you consider the inefficiency of producing electricity by heating coal or the cost of operating, and maintaining a nuclear plant. Sure, you can get a lot of heat for a very long time from a very small lump of uranium, but what's the whole operating cost over the life of the system, including waste disposal. Add those numbers up and don't forget to include the 8-12% distribution losses and the cost of operating the distribution system and you'll have a very large cost base. That's the real cost of energy that most people refuse to face. Wind turbines however, including those large commercial turbines have a relatively fixed and predictable cost base for the life of the system, perhaps 15-20 years.
This is not to say we should dump all that infrastructure and have everyone buy a personal turbine for their back yard. What it means is that governments, generating plants, distribution and regulatory agencies should recognize the VALUE that distributed private generators make to the system and encourage such personal investment, as a means to offset the total system demand. This would not only encourage private and public commerce as well as R&D for small wind systems, but also reduce the electrical demands significantly once popular and produce a more reliable rural electrical grid.
Just a thought for the day for politicians, utilities and beaurocrates to consider. Find ways to cut the red tape and unnecessary beaurocracy based on "We'd like to help, but sorry that's not our call. You'll have to get some other jurisdiction/agency/department/inspector/council to agree first". We need to offer clear incentives and simple approval processes that encourage people to install their own generators.
KiloWatt Hrs, AmpHrs and Battery Capacity
The energy industry is full of technology and new terms for most people and a lot of inquiries centre around how much energy a wind turbine system can make. The amount of energy a turbine or solar panel captures and what it can deliver depends a lot on how you store it and use it from batteries or the utilities grid system. The power a turbine can make in watts is only for an instant in time at a particular wind speed. It is often quoted in Watts but, what matters is not it's power for that instant but rather the energy it can produce over a month or year. This is usually expressed in Kilowatt hours (KwHrs) per month. Watt is a measure of power and power rated over time is a description of energy. But watts and amperes are also related because batteries are rated in amp hours (AH) not kWhrs. Volts times amps equals Watts. Similarly, watts divided by volts equals amps.
Amps is a measure of current flow and it's related kWhrs, but amps is more a description of the speed or flow of electricity.Like the current in a river, the current flowing or amperes (amps) is a measure of the rate of flow of electrons. The instantaneous flow rate is "amps" and the amount of flow over time is amp hours (AH). So, if a one amp current is flowing for one hour you have used 1 amp hour of electricity. How does that relate to watts and watt hours? Well, Watts and Kilowatt hours is a measure of power and power consumption over time while Amps and AmpHrs is a measure of the rate of flow or speed at which energy is used. Think of watts and amount of energy and amps as the flow rate that energy is used, or the speed at which you use that amount of energy.
Battery makers rate the capacity of their batteries in "AmpHours (AH)" such as 220 AH or 400 AH. To complicate matters amp hour ratings for batteries are only comparable if you know the rate of discharge this refers to. Most times it is implied as "20hrs discharge rate", while there is also a rating at "100hrs discharge rate", that refers to discharging a battery more slowly. A battery Amp Hour rating can be stated as a "20 Hour rating" or a "100 hour rating" or sometimes they'll give you both. These two different rates of discharge will cause the battery to last 5 times as long at 100 hr rate as it will at a 20 hour rating, so be sure you compare capacity at the same rate when comparing two batteries. Ask you supplier, "What discharge rate does that AH rating refer to?"
As an example, if you discharge a 200 AH battery quickly (at a high rate like 10 amps) it will give up its stored energy in 20 hours. Divide 200AH rating by 10amps you get 20hours. But at 100Hr rating the same battery will work for 100 hours by delivering 2amps of energy per hour. Relating this to watts, using 10 amps at 24 volts over 1 hour is equal to (volts x amps = watts) 240 Watts of energy or almost a quarter of a kilowatt per hour (kWHr). You would use nearly a kilowatt every four hours and the 200AH battery might deliver about 5 kWhrs in most of a day if not recharged. Also note that due to some interesting physics, (if you are so inclind), you can actually get more energy out of the same lead acid battery if you take it out slowly over a longer period, than if you discharge it rapidly at a high amp level. That's why they often show both ratings for the same battery.
All these calculations are complicated by the fact that as the battery is used up, the voltage changes and the output current drops in relation to the voltage. A 24 volt battery pack made up of two 12volt batteries or four 6volt batteries, may actually be a 26.8 volts when fully charged and after giving up its stored energy might register around 23.3 volts, and it's not a straight line. In addition over time batteries discharge and store energy less efficiently as the internal chemistry changes. For a general understanding, however, you can ignore all this and just treat it as a 24volt system.
What this means in round figures is, if you want to have enough energy to run a complete energy efficient off-grid home from a 24volt battery pack, you'll need it to hold around 15-20 kWHrs per day for 2-3 days. This equals a total energy of 30-60 kWHrs. Fifty kWHrs of electricity needs a pretty hefty battery pack to store that total AH of energy, in the neighbourhood of 1500-2500AH. This assumes no energy input and you continue to run the home using all the power you nornally do. In reality, your wind turbine and solar panels should contribute to the system and with regular input and your conservation awareness, the system can be self-sustaining, indefinitely. An average homes or cottage can do with considerably less storge capacity on the order of 400-800AH if backed up by utility power. For many applications, especially grid-tied systems, a 220AH capacity may be all you need.
The energy industry is full of technology and new terms for most people and a lot of inquiries centre around how much energy a wind turbine system can make. The amount of energy a turbine or solar panel captures and what it can deliver depends a lot on how you store it and use it from batteries or the utilities grid system. The power a turbine can make in watts is only for an instant in time at a particular wind speed. It is often quoted in Watts but, what matters is not it's power for that instant but rather the energy it can produce over a month or year. This is usually expressed in Kilowatt hours (KwHrs) per month. Watt is a measure of power and power rated over time is a description of energy. But watts and amperes are also related because batteries are rated in amp hours (AH) not kWhrs. Volts times amps equals Watts. Similarly, watts divided by volts equals amps.
Amps is a measure of current flow and it's related kWhrs, but amps is more a description of the speed or flow of electricity.Like the current in a river, the current flowing or amperes (amps) is a measure of the rate of flow of electrons. The instantaneous flow rate is "amps" and the amount of flow over time is amp hours (AH). So, if a one amp current is flowing for one hour you have used 1 amp hour of electricity. How does that relate to watts and watt hours? Well, Watts and Kilowatt hours is a measure of power and power consumption over time while Amps and AmpHrs is a measure of the rate of flow or speed at which energy is used. Think of watts and amount of energy and amps as the flow rate that energy is used, or the speed at which you use that amount of energy.
Battery makers rate the capacity of their batteries in "AmpHours (AH)" such as 220 AH or 400 AH. To complicate matters amp hour ratings for batteries are only comparable if you know the rate of discharge this refers to. Most times it is implied as "20hrs discharge rate", while there is also a rating at "100hrs discharge rate", that refers to discharging a battery more slowly. A battery Amp Hour rating can be stated as a "20 Hour rating" or a "100 hour rating" or sometimes they'll give you both. These two different rates of discharge will cause the battery to last 5 times as long at 100 hr rate as it will at a 20 hour rating, so be sure you compare capacity at the same rate when comparing two batteries. Ask you supplier, "What discharge rate does that AH rating refer to?"
As an example, if you discharge a 200 AH battery quickly (at a high rate like 10 amps) it will give up its stored energy in 20 hours. Divide 200AH rating by 10amps you get 20hours. But at 100Hr rating the same battery will work for 100 hours by delivering 2amps of energy per hour. Relating this to watts, using 10 amps at 24 volts over 1 hour is equal to (volts x amps = watts) 240 Watts of energy or almost a quarter of a kilowatt per hour (kWHr). You would use nearly a kilowatt every four hours and the 200AH battery might deliver about 5 kWhrs in most of a day if not recharged. Also note that due to some interesting physics, (if you are so inclind), you can actually get more energy out of the same lead acid battery if you take it out slowly over a longer period, than if you discharge it rapidly at a high amp level. That's why they often show both ratings for the same battery.
All these calculations are complicated by the fact that as the battery is used up, the voltage changes and the output current drops in relation to the voltage. A 24 volt battery pack made up of two 12volt batteries or four 6volt batteries, may actually be a 26.8 volts when fully charged and after giving up its stored energy might register around 23.3 volts, and it's not a straight line. In addition over time batteries discharge and store energy less efficiently as the internal chemistry changes. For a general understanding, however, you can ignore all this and just treat it as a 24volt system.
What this means in round figures is, if you want to have enough energy to run a complete energy efficient off-grid home from a 24volt battery pack, you'll need it to hold around 15-20 kWHrs per day for 2-3 days. This equals a total energy of 30-60 kWHrs. Fifty kWHrs of electricity needs a pretty hefty battery pack to store that total AH of energy, in the neighbourhood of 1500-2500AH. This assumes no energy input and you continue to run the home using all the power you nornally do. In reality, your wind turbine and solar panels should contribute to the system and with regular input and your conservation awareness, the system can be self-sustaining, indefinitely. An average homes or cottage can do with considerably less storge capacity on the order of 400-800AH if backed up by utility power. For many applications, especially grid-tied systems, a 220AH capacity may be all you need.
Designing a Hybrid System with the WS ROMulator
The ROMulator is coming . . . yes I know you've heard that before but the software testing keeps us up at nights. We should be finished testing enough to let you have a look very soon. Watch the website under the Knowledge link or just wait for the announcement in a special FREE Wind News release . . . soon I promise. It will be worth it. We plan to put it up for a 2 week private test period for all FREE Wind News subscribers on 1 August.
The ROMulator is coming . . . yes I know you've heard that before but the software testing keeps us up at nights. We should be finished testing enough to let you have a look very soon. Watch the website under the Knowledge link or just wait for the announcement in a special FREE Wind News release . . . soon I promise. It will be worth it. We plan to put it up for a 2 week private test period for all FREE Wind News subscribers on 1 August.