>I can't really read the key. I tried blowing it up, but I lose
>resolution...can anyone help?
>
>Bev
>
>
>
I'm pleased to see that we're in category 4.
The information is in two columns. Within each column, there are 4
sub-columns, representing (L to R) the category number, power in
watts/meter^2, speed in meters/second, and speed in mph. It's not clear
how the two columns differ. The only heading is a distance in meters.
I think that may represent the height off the the ground where they're
measuring the wind.
Isn't it impressive that there's almost 1000 watts per square meter in a
mere 20 mph wind? The square meter in question represents the area of
the rotor face. This is yet another reason why I'm skeptical: the trend
toward small rotors. They seem to be trying to make people buy into the
idea that their modern gadgetry will work so much better that you can
now make do with an itty-bitty rotor. Wrong!
Notice that it's actually a map of average power, averaged over the
year. During winter wind storms we get the greatest amount of wind
power. When the wind blows at 80 mph, there's 64,000 watts per square
meter, enough to tear it apart!
So I think that's why our numbers seem a little overly impressive to
me. These outliers, the most extreme winds, have all been calculated
into the average, even though these speeds were reached during a time of
year when wise folks often shut down their windmills, and when the least
water is needed.
Bill
S. Oregon coast
Re: [Homestead] Solar and wind,
tonitime, 02/08/2007