Yesterday I alluded to the shortcomings of small wind turbines, and today I read about a device being sold by Honeywell that only reinforces my belief. I can’t really think of anyone who’d benefit from Honeywell’s Home Wind Turbine.
The device itself is a six foot wide turbine which generates 1,580 Kwh per year, according to Honeywell’s promotional video. They went on to claim that it will provide you with 15% of your energy needs, and pay for itself in 12-36 months. In some states.
Let’s examine this, shall we? The 15% comes from the assumption that the average household uses roughly 10-11,000 Kwh of electricity per year, 1,580 Kwh being roughly 15% of that. That’s fine, except I have no doubt that the average suburban household uses more than 10-11,000, and those are the only households that would be interested in purchasing this system anyway.
Especially because it costs $4,500. I don’t understand how they calculate the payback to be so short – the EIA estimates that electricity will cost an average of 12 cents/Kwh in 2010. 1,580 Kwh times 12 cents/Kwh gives you… $189.60 worth of electricity every year, which means you will pay off your system in 23 years. Even if electricity cost a whopping 30 cents/Kwh, it would still take 9 years. Unless my math is wrong, in which case please – correct me.
Parallels are often made between the cleantech industry today and the computer industry of, say, the late 80’s and early 90’s. Perhaps some believe that, just like we used to pay thousands of dollars for computers that are now completely obsolete, people will pay similar prices for wind turbines, solar panels and electric cars at this stage in the game. I say – they won’t. Computers were cool, and they made our lives better and easier. A six foot wind turbine that only produces a trickle of electricity doesn’t affect my life very much, and isn’t all that cool.
Via Gas 2.0
Image Via EarthTronics
Original post by Yoni Levinson
