Frequently Asked Questions
For an in-depth overview of Oregon Wind and its products, download the Oregon Wind presentation book.- Q: How does the Revolution™ compare to other wind technologies?
- Q: How much power will the Revolution™ produce?
- A: The 42" Revolution™ is expected to produce approximately 160 watts at a wind speed of 28 mph...but what does that mean to you? Predicting exactly how much power an given turbine can produce at a specific location is tricky (and if another manufacturer tells you different, be suspicious!). You may know what the average annual wind speed is in your area but it's the actual winds on your actual roof that will produce the power. And since our turbine produces exponentially more power as the wind speeds increase, the only way to accurately estimate is to get a year's worth of wind speed data from the exact spot where you think the turbine should go. With that data, we can run some projections. If you don't have that data, however, and you have a general sense of what your wind resource is, you can guesstimate power production based on these charts which were created from our most recent tests of our product (done by an independent third-party contractor) as well as wind data collected from various sites around the U.S.
- Q: How much does the Revolution™ cost and what is the "payback period?"
- A: Our ultimate goal is to sell the Helyx™ at a price low enough that the cost of its purchase, installation and maintenance over time is offset by the power it generates (using market value of "grid" power as the basis of comparison). Since the cost of grid power is undoubtedly going up, buying into renewable energy is a way to "lock in" your rates over time. Our best estimate at this time is that market units (available in 2010) will sell wholesale for about $2000. The beta turbines we are manufacturing this year will have a higher cost due to start-up tooling, the smaller size of the run, etc. We expect them to be around $5000 each. Customers who are interested primarily in saving money on their electricity bills will probably want to wait for the market units. Customers who are interested primarily in reducing their carbon footprints sooner than later, and who don't mind a longer "payback period," may want to buy beta turbines.
- Q: Where will feasibility testing take place?
- A: Oregon Wind is in the process of setting up development partnerships with several public organizations (TriMet, Metro, PSU, Port of Hood River) as well as several private entities. Feasibility testing will likely take place on the properties of our development partners.
A: The Revolution™ is a vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) of the Savonius style (see Wikipedia - Wind Turbine for an excellent and succinct overview of wind turbine types and their relative advantages and disadvantages). Our VAWT overcomes many of the shortcomings of horizontal axis wind turbines and other VAWT designs, including problems with noise, vibration and bird kill (see specification sheet for more specifics on this). While the Helyx™ doesn't make a lot of power, its relatively low cost, low maintenance and long life expectancy make it a great value in renewable power production.
- Q: How will Oregon Wind's unique manufacturing methods make the Revolution™ more sustainable than other turbines?
- A: A common criticism of small wind turbines is that the carbon generated by their manufacture will never be offset over the course of their usable lives by the carbon they save in the process of providing clean energy in the place of coal-based energy. Good point well taken! At Oregon Wind, we are strong proponents of manufacturing locally, using locally sourced scrap and recycled materials. That means every part of the Revolution™ Urban Wind Turbine is manufactured locally. The wings are made of 100% recycled TPO plastic. 60% of that is post-consumer content (damaged car bumpers) which is sourced and ground locally. Our choices about how to manufacturer may raise our costs a bit compared to turbines manufactured overseas and without thought to sustainability, but the resulting affect on the environment and the economy make this an easy choice. For more information about companies who choose to manufacture utilizing local scrap materials, see our informational website projectscrap.org.
- Q: I am interested in buying one or more turbines. How do I get started?
- A: Please visit our "How to Purchase" page for more information.
- If you have a question that we haven't answered yet, please contact us.
Thank you for your support and your interest in Oregon Wind! - A: Please send an email to investing@oregonwind.com and we will send you an informational packet via email.
Q:I am interested in becoming an investor in Oregon Wind. How do I get more information?
- If you have a question that we haven't answered yet, please contact us.
Thank you for your support and your interest in Oregon Wind! - Thank you for your support and your interest in Oregon Wind!
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