Cascade Engineering has just launched its small wind turbine in the United States and Canada. The SWIFT Wind Turbine, which was originally designed by Scotland-based Renewable Devices, is already installed at 250 sites in Scotland and is currently available in the UK, Belgium, New Zealand and the Netherlands. Now Cascade has licensed the technology to bring an effective solution to lower energy bills and reduce carbon emissions to North America.
“With rising energy costs and increased environmental consciousness, we’ve seen more people turning to small wind. For the past several months, we’ve been inundated by requests for SWIFT before we even launched the product,” said Michael Ford, head of the renewable energy business unit for Cascade Engineering. “The SWIFT Wind Turbine design solves many of the challenges of previous residential and commercial scale wind turbines: it registers as a whisper on decibel charts, it’s efficient, it’s safe and it’s clean.”
Key Benefits of the SWIFT Wind Turbine
- One of the quietest wind systems available generating less than 35 decibels of noise at all wind speeds.
- Low vibration allows the Swift to be mounted directly on the roof or building, rather than to a free-standing pole or tower for use in urban and suburban areas.
- Sustainable design enables it to become carbon and energy positive within four years.
- Safe, efficient and autonomous operation
Why Is the SWIFT Wind Turbine So Quiet?
Traditional wind turbines generate some noise as the wind travels the length of the blade. The outer ring on Swift acts as a diffuser as the wind travels down the blades and is dispersed along the outer ring, therefore eliminating the noise and keeping the turbine quiet.
How much electricity can I expect from my Swift Wind Turbine?
The Swift also has two fins to turn it into the wind – it can turn 360 degrees to take advantage of any wind direction. The Swift generates about 1.5 kilowatts with a 14 mph wind; Cascade says that in typical use it will generate about 2,000 kilowatt hours over a year. U.S. households typically consume between 6,500 and 10,000 kilowatt-hours in a year, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
What is the average cost to install a Swift Wind Turbine?
Swift has an estimated installed cost of about $10,000 – $12,000. At a cost of $10,000 installed, it’s a bit lower than the typical per-watt cost of solar electric panels. But state rebates, the cost of electricity, and the wind or solar resource make a big difference on the actual up-front cost. Cascade estimates the payback on the upfront cost can be as low as three years, but that it varies widely.
Small wind systems recently benefited from the extension of renewable energy tax credits, which gives consumers a $1,000 tax credit for residential systems and $4,000 for commercial buildings.
For more information, visit www.SwiftWindTurbine.com.
