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Bergey Wind Turbines
Bergey WindPower Company is the world’s leading supplier of small wind turbines. With installations in all 50 States and more than 90 countries, Bergey wind turbines have proven to be the best-built and most rugged turbines available.
At Bergey WindPower, we take pride in offering advanced-technology products that let homeowners generate their own clean power and that can help bring modern services and new opportunities to the world's rural poor. Our U.S. sales are booming as more and more homeowners and businesses turn to wind power to take control of their energy costs and to do their part for the environment.
Bergey XL.1 Wind Turbine
call or email to order
available now!!
In July of 2000 Bergey Windpower expects to
release its latest small wind turbine product, the 1,000 Watt BWC XL.1. Initially
the turbine will be available only as a 24V DC battery charging system, although an
optional on-board sine wave inverter will be available later this year for customers
desiring AC (alternating current) power. Additional versions with special
electronics for grid-connection and wind-electric water pumping are expected to become
available in 2001. With a rotor diameter of 2.5 meters (8.2 ft) and a peak output of
1,200 watts the XL.1 is intended for the off-grid home market in the U.S. and for rural
electrification programs in developingcountries. It is also a perfect upgrade system
for current owners of micro-turbines.
The XL.1 combines a number of advanced technical features, including a completely new airfoil (patent pending), to provide the highest efficiency yet achieved in a small wind turbine at a cost of energy ~ 40% lower than the current price leader. And, the XL.1 will carry the exclusive, industry-leading, Bergey 5-year warranty. "We are very excited about the XL.1. We think customers are really going to like this machine" notes Mike Bergey, BWC's president and CEO.
The XL.1 is an up-wind, horizontal-axis, three- bladed turbine. The blades are pultruded fiberglass, a material that is over ten times stronger than the injection- molded plastic used on most small wind turbines. In fact, pultrusions have a breaking strength exceeding 100,000 psi, which is twice as strong as normal steel. "Just about any blade material will hold up in light to moderate winds. But, when the storms come, weak blades can put the whole system at risk." And the new BWC SH3045 airfoil makes the XL.1's blade probably the most efficient ever on a small wind turbine.
The blades attach directly to a specially designed very-low-speed permanent magnet alternator which uses state-of-the-art neodymium super- magnets. "We have designed an oversized alternator that slows the rotor down and makes the turbine very quiet." Overspeed protection is provided by the proven BWC AutoFurl passive sideways furling system. "In spite of the claims otherwise, no other overspeed protection system has proven to be more reliable or effective than AutoFurl." The XL.1 includes the BWC PowerCenter controller which controls battery charging, provides a common interconnection point for all the DC (direct current) components, and even includes a 30 A controller for the solar modules that are often a part of a complete hybrid system. The batteries are charged with the exclusive BWC OptiCharge system, which maintains the charged batteries at a constant voltage. Sandia National Laboratory tests have shown that this charging methods extends the life of batteries. The PowerCenter allows an auxiliary or "dump" load to be connected to utilize excess wind (and/or solar) power after the batteries are fully charged.
Low wind speed performance is greatly enhanced by a low-end-boost circuit that optimally loads the wind turbine down to wind speeds as low as 5.6 mph (2.5 m/s). Combined with the new blade system, this circuitry allows the XL.1 to produce useful power more than 6,000 hours a year at a typical site. For reference, a typical solar system produces power 3,500 hours a year at a typical site.
The XL.1 PowerCenter will also be available with an optional on-board 500 W sine wave inverter system. In this configuration the XL.1 system will provide a complete "plug and play" AC power system for remote sites. This option should be available in September.
The XL.1 will be offered with a tubular Tilt-up tower in heights from 9 m (30 ft) to 32 m (104 ft). These kits will be be easy to install and will offer customers a complete "ready to install" kit. "There's been a need for more complete integration between turbine and tower packages for small wind turbines and we think our new line will fill that gap."
The XL.1 turbine, including the PowerCenter
control panel, is priced at $1,495. BWC is maintaining a list of people interested
in the XL.1, and will begin accepting advance orders on May 15, 2000. First
deliveries, originally scheduled for March, are now scheduled for late July. The
delayed delivery schedule results from design refinements instituted late in the project
and delays in tooling development.
XL.1 Specifications
Type: 3 Blade Upwind
Rotor Diameter: 2.5 m (8.2 ft.)
Start-up Wind Speed: 3 m/s (6.7
mph)
Cut-in Wind Speed: 2.5 m/s (5.6
mph)
Rated Wind Speed: 11 m/s (24.6
mph)
Rated Power: 1000 Watts
Cut-Out Wind Speed: None
Furling Wind Speed: 13 m/s (29 mph)
Max. Design Wind Speed: 54 m/s (120 mph)
Blade Pitch Control: None, Fixed
Pitch
Overspeed Protection: AutoFurl
Gearbox: None, Direct Drive
Temperature Range: -40 to +60 Deg. C (-40 to +140 Deg. F)
Generator: Permanent Magnet Alternator
Output Form: 24 VDC Nominal
24 VDC |
includes PowerCenter Controller | BWC XL.1-24 |
$2,450 |
Optional Enhanced Turbine Corrosion Protection, for marine sites |
$600 |