Solar energy is our most abundant source of energy
Just one hour of sunlight provides enough solar energy to power the world's homes for an entire year. There are two basic forms of solar energy, heat and light, which are used to produce solar power through different processes.
How does solar work ?
Solar Panels, Photovoltaics and solar energy
Solar panels turn the suns solar energy in electricity via photovoltaics. Photovoltaics allow electrons on the surface of a solar panel to be knocked loose by the incoming rays of the sun. Thesse loose electrons create a direct current (DC) of electricity as they follow a pre-determined pathway on the solar panel. The DC electricity is then either stored in batteries, or sent to the grid, or converted into alternating current (AC) using an inverter for use at the location.
Honda Car - Darwin to Adelaide winner
Entrants in the cross Australia race, from Darwin to Adelaide, use solar panels to power a lightweight car over 2,000 miles at speeds of up to 50 miles per hour. Clearly, solar power can deliver enough energy to drive a vehicle considerable distance given the right conditions.
Residential/business Solar Energy- 30% tax credit
2009 saw the enactment of a new 30% federal energy tax credit on purchases of solar panels, equipment and solar panel installation. The tax credit has ushered in a new era of residential solar energy in the us. Solar companies are also now developing more effecient photovoltaic cells and solar panels. Indeed, as solar panel prices drop, the amount of power they generatee continues to increase. A virtuous cycle of higher output and prices is now happening in the solar energy industry.
We work closely with customer wanting to get entirely off the grid, especially for those clients that live in real remote areas that can't get connected to the grid.
Renewable Energy Resources. site assessment service helps to determine the property's ability and readiness to utilize solar energy.
A site assessment will provide specific information regarding how energy efficiency and renewable energy systems can be used together to help meet energy needs.
An assessment is NOT a sales call, the assessment service will provide a site specific report that to the client that is completely unbiased enumerating no specific products or services.
Ground mount solar system:
PV Modules we carry:
* Canadian Solar * Kyoceria
* Sharp
Inverters we carry.
* Fronius * PVP
* Enphase * SMA
Car port installations:
Roof top installation:
Texas Incentives/Policies for Renewables & Efficiency
Please click on the link below for possible rebates in your area.
New Energy Saving Products Introducing The Solaro Aire
The Solaro Aire was designed by experts in the art of air flow with years of aerodynamic engineering skills- We believe that the new Solaro Aire will out perform all other products on the market today, not only in terms of air movement performance but also in terms of curb appeal because it was designed by experts who know solar and Air Flow. We created a high performance Attic Fan that will not detract from the beauty of your roof line. Not only does it ventilate up to 1250 square feet during the hot summer, the Solaro Aire removes mold and mildew causing moisture in the winter. Perfect for replacing an old noisy electric fan or your Turbine Ventilator and will likely fit in the same opening. The Solaro Aire does not cost one penny to operate! It’s completely powered by the sun! Built in 20 watt high performance proprietary custom solar panel will deliver the highest output of power, blowing all other products of its kind out of the water! Automatic thermostat turns the high performance motor on when the attic space reaches 80°F so your attic will always stay cool, not to mention keep your energy bill down!
Demonstration of installation
Introducing the Solaro Day
Hey! There’s light outside! So turn off your old fashioned, power guzzling lights and plug into the power of the sun with the Solaro Day. Start enjoying the benefits that full spectrum natural sunlight will bring into your life! The newest innovation in solar lighting design on the market today! Solaro’s LED lighting transforms “hard to light” areas into bright happy spaces by providing the same spectrum as natural light from the sun. This lighting system produces healthy daylight without the harmful effects of ultraviolet sunlight which can cause fading of carpets and furniture as does conventional skylighting systems.The Solaro Day can be installed in any room in the house, unlike traditional tubular skylights that have installatio restrictions.
And best of all, because it is non-intrusive to the roof structure, there is no need for cutting of the roof, and no need to worry about water leakage! The Solaro Day
is truly “The Skylight That’s Not! “
How does it work?
Starting out at the roof level, Solaro has designed a line of special proprietary solar panels that collect sunlight, even on cloudy days, and converts it into safe low voltage DC power. We send that power to a Solaro Day daylight simulator for use inside your home or office. The Solaro Day daylight simulator will create the same light that a traditional or tubular skylight creates but without the costly installation including the cutting of a large hole in your roof or ceiling. The Solaro Day typically requires only a 1/2? diameter hole drilled into your roof for the interconnect cable making the installation fast and simple!
Demonstration of installation part 1
Demonstration of installation part 2
Power- clean and efficient
Wind power is growing. In the US, wind power generation has doubled in the last two years to more than 20 gigawatts, and recently passed Germany as the world leader in wind generation. Even with these strides, wind power currently provides less than 2% of the US electricity supply. However, government forecasts optimistically call for wind power to provide 20% of the nation's electricity by 2030.
History of wind power
Wind has been used for thousands of years as a source of power. Sailboats are one of the purest, and simplest examples of the wind as a power source. Before the advent of electricity, windmills were used primarily to pump water and grind, or "mill" grain. The power of the wind was used to turn the blades of a rotor, which was connected to grinding stones or a pumping mechanism. Wind power was thus converted into mechanical energy and was a more effecient way to perform everyday tasks.
The popularity of using thee energy in wind has always fluctuated with the price of fossil fuels. When fuel prices fell after World War II, interest in wind turbines waned. But when the price of oil skyrocketed in the 1970's, so did worldwide interest in wind turbine generators.
The wind turbine technology research and development that followed the oil embargos of the 1970's refined old ideas and introduced new ways of converting wind energy into useful power. Many of the approaches have been demonstrated in "wind farms" or wind power plants-groups of turbines that feed electricity into the utility grid-in the United Statesand Europe.
Today, the lessons learned from more than a decade of operating wind power plants, along with continuing research and development, have made wind-generated electricity very close to the power from conventional utility generation in some locations. Wind energy is the world's fastest growing energy source and will power industry, business and homes with clean, renewable electricity for many years to come.
How does wind power work?
The terms wind energy or wind power describes the process by which the wind is used to generate mechanical power or electricity. Wind turbines convert the kinetic energy in the wind into mechanical power. This mechanical power can be used for special tasks (such as grinding grain or pumping water) or a generator can convert this mechanical power into electricity. Simply stated, a wind turbine work's the opposite of a fan. Instead of using electricity to make wind, like a fan, wind turbines use wind to make electricity. The wind turns the blades, which spin a shaft, which connects to a generator and makes electricity.
Advantages of Wind Power
Wind energy is a domestic source of energy, produced in the United States. The nation's wind supply is abundant. Wind energy relies on the renewable power of the wind, which can't be used up.
Wind energy is the lowest-priced renewable energy technologies available today, costing between 4 and 6 cents per kilowatt-hour, depending upon the particular wind turbine system and project financing of the particular project.
What is wind?
Wind is a form of solar energy. The rotation of the earth, differences in the earth's surface and unequal heating of the atmosphere by the sun, cause winds to blow. The earth's terrain, vegetation and bodies of water change patterns of wind flow. People throught the ages have used wind flow or kinetic energy for many useful purposes such as flying kites, powering windmills, sailing, and even generating electricity.
Wind power and wind energy are two terms, which describe how wind can generate mechanical power of electricity. A wind turbine changes the kenetic energy of the wind into mechanical power. The mechanical power can be accomplish specific tasks like pumping water or supplying renewable energy back into you home to off set your dependency on your electric provider.
What is a small wind energy system
Small residential or business wind energy systems vary in size all depending on your specific power needs, or kwh usage. They typically consists of either a ( horizontal or vertical) and range of power generation from 200 watts all the way up to 50kW. Small wind systems have proven records of performance and can be relied upon, even in locations withe most modest of winds. Generally most systems come with a standard in the industry of five years but will generally last up to twenty-five years or longer.
Residential/Business tax credit - 30% tax credit
By installing a residential wind system you can qualify up to 30% on the whole entire job. You also have the ability to write off a residential installation up to two years. If you own a business you can take the tax credit for up to five years.
Please see our contact page and lets get started today on on reducing your dependency from you electric provider.
Lets us help you reduce your carbon foot print.
Skystream 3.7 Hybrid System solar tracking system with 35% more production of power.
The Skystream Hybrid 6 uses a GPS-controlled solar tracking mechism to ensure that the panels always face the sun for up to 35% more energy capture and fixed panels on a roof.
The Power of Wind is Yours for the Taking
The awesome power of wind is all around us. It's whistling across our yards and over our roofs. Rippling our flags and blowing through our hair. It's a free resource. No one owns it. But you can use it. With a residential wind turbine you can harness the wind to power your home, reduce pollution, lower electric bills and decrease dependence on foreign oil. And you can do it right from your backyard. The opportunity is yours for the taking.
Wind Power for Utility-Connected Homes
A utility-connected home is considered any dwelling that gets power from the electric company, or in other words, is connected to the utility. Our Skystream turbines are designed specifically for these types of homes.
Wind Power for Off-Grid Applications
An off-grid application is any dwelling or outbuilding that is powered by a battery system and is not connected to the utility, such as a remote home, cabin or shed. At Southwest Windpower, we offer several wind-energy solutions for off-grid applications.
It's a small turbine that gives you the ability to turn wind into clean, affordable energy for your on-grid or off-grid home or dwelling — right from your own backyard.
Will it Work for My Home?
As long as there is a minimum average wind speed of 8 mph and your property is free of obstructions, it's likely a wind turbine will work for you.
For an instant wind energy assessment of your property, click here.
The Benefits of Wind Power.
With a personal wind turbine, you can reduce your carbon footprint every time you turn on the TV. Help run your kitchen appliances while reducing your dependence on foreign oil. And provide the electricity your family needs at a more affordable rate.
Basically, our turbines provide you with a cleaner, more affordable source of energy for your home while making a statement for all to see.
Residential Wind Power is Easy.
We can install a wind turbine in your yard in about one week. No major construction is needed and nothing in your house changes. Just get a free instant wind energy assessment of your property and let us take it from there.
Designed for homes and businesses, the Skystream 3.7 paved the way as the first compact, all-inclusive personal wind generator (with controls and inverter built in) designed to work in very low winds. It produces up to 400 kilowatt hours of clean electricity per month* and comes complete with Skyview™ monitoring software, so you can track Skystream’s performance right from your computer. What's more is that Skystream amonst the most highly tested and certified wind turbines in history.
UK Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) Certificate
CE Declaration of Conformity (for battery charging applications only)
Here are a few turbines that we have installed in the state of Texas.
Please refer to the small plus or minus on the map to zoom in or out of a location
View Untitled in a larger map
Skystream wind turbine 3.7
A few installations
This system below is a great application for harsh weather conditions along the coast. Hurricanes/Storms comes in you can lower the tower by a hydrolic system or you can manually lower the wind turbine your self without the additional expense of having a company come out and lower the tower by gin pole or crane. See the link below for the full video clips of both systems.
Renewable Energy Resources is a dealer for Power Ball in Texas.
The Power Ball V100 & V200 Made For Roof Tops
24 turbines being installed on El Centro College
in downtown Dallas.
Click here to watch video
Own an office building?This is a great turbine for roof top applications.
Determine the Wind Site
The wind system should be situated so that it has direct exposure to the prevailing winds. Typically that means the NW exposure for winter winds and SW exposure for summer winds. This will vary based on terrain and other topographical influences. The wind tower height should be selected based on a minimum of 20 feet above any tree or building within 250 feet of the prevailing winds.
Determine the Turbine Size
Take a close look at your electric bill and determine which size turbine will come close to eliminating the bill. Use the power curve and a wind report as a way to calculate how much power the size turbine you choose will generate. Then check to see if it is within your budget and calculate the payback.
A wind turbines’ output is directly related to the rotor diameter. You can only capture a fixed amount of power out of the wind based on how wide the wing span is. This is why most manufacturers use the rotor diameter (in meters) as part of the model number. Conversely most consumers want to know how much power the generator can put out. If you mismatch the system you won’t receive all the power it can produce. A large rotor diameter connected to a small generator will capture more wind power in low winds. All Renewable Energy Turbines are designed for low winds. Other manufacturers have matched a 7.8 meter (26 feet) rotor diameter with a 12.5kW generator so that the wind needs to be much higher to start and more wind is needed to capture all the power the generator is capable of. The consumer will typically pay less and produce more power in lower winds with TECWIND and Raum wind turbines the overall blade surface area is greater meaning a lot quicker pay back period or return of investment.
Determine the Tower Height
The main consideration for tower height as discussed earlier is to make sure that the blades are at least 20 feet above any obstacle within a 250 foot radius on the prevailing wind side. The other consideration, assuming that local ordinances will permit you to go higher, is the amount of power you will receive as you go higher. Typically the cost of a tower to go higher is not substantial. Therefore the payback will be quicker because the amount of power you have produced will accelerate the payback. For example, if you have a 30 foot tower as a baseline of output and you go to 60 feet, your output will increase by 41%, and if you go from 30 to 90 feet the output will increase 75%. The only other factor involved in the decision is initial outlay of the capital to go higher. So if you can afford it go higher.
Determine the Soil Class
Once the turbine size and tower height have been finalized the soil type needs to be determined. If it can be compacted to 2500psf (pounds per square foot) it is good soil which is in class 1 to 4. If it is sandy or clay it is a class 5 soil and can only be compacted to 1500psf. There are 2 sets of drawings available which will tell you what the foundation size is for all Renewable Energy Resource Turbines and towers. If you have ledge on your property, this can be determined by digging or probing with a pipe in the area, a separate set of drawings are available. Choose the appropriate foundation size based on the tower height and turbine size based on the chart in the soil class drawing.
Excavation
The excavation of the site can commence once the permit has been issued. Typical foundation depth is 4 feet. You will need to precut the rebar according to the drawings and set the anchor bolts in place with a template or base plate. Also, the trench for the wiring and conduit in the concrete will need to be installed. Check with the local codes to see the requirements for the trench. Some towns require 18 inches deep for direct burial wire and others may require a conduit. Refer to the instruction manual and drawings for foundation details.
Determine the Wire Size
Wire gauge sizes go backwards in numbering. For example, computer and phone wires are 18 to 22 gauge and a typical extension cord is 14 to 16 gauge. The further away from the power panel you are the heavier gauge wire you will need. All Renewable Energy Resources Turbines come with 200 feet of wire for the system. You can go up to 300 feet with the same gauge wire supplied. If it is further than that you will need to go to the next larger wire size. We use Ohms law on all of our wire calculations. Our goal when installing the electrical is to have as minimal voltage drop as possible.
Determine the Inverter Location
The controller and inverter do not have to be located at the main power panel provided that the inverter is not already located in the nacel (Skystream). The inverter can be connected anywhere you have a sub-panel, such as in a garage or shed. If you decide you want to have a shed next to the wind turbine you can run wire from your main panel to that location, install a sub-panel and connect the inverter and controller to this new location.
Contact Your Local Power Provider
Before you connect to the grid you will want to have a net metering agreement with your local power provider. Some power companies like to inspect the installation before you can turn on the system. They will probably want to see the UL1741 certificate which is supplied with each system to make sure that the system meets this requirement. UL1741 is a standard that is required so that if the grid goes down the wind system if tied to the grid will also go down. This is called anti-islanding which means you cannot be your own “island” creating power and still be connected to the grid. This of course is to assure that there isn’t any power on the line while the linemen restore the outage.
Erecting the Wind Turbine
Follow the instructions in the manual for the turbine and tower combination you have purchased. Make sure the concrete of the foundation has cured for 30 days. Do not raise a tower on a windy day. Decide if you are going to use a crane or lift kit for the tower erection. If you decide on a lift make sure you have all the components for the lift, i.e., shackles, cables, correct gin pole and a winch rated high enough for the tower and turbine. One person should be in charge of the lift so that there is no confusion in the communication. Always perform a test lift to ensure that the wind turbine can be raised smoothly and safely. Install all the wiring of the system and test it to be sure everything is operational before lifting the system. Once the wind system has been powered up the blades should spin freely. Always check all cables, shackles, clamps, fittings, nuts and bolt torque on the blades and hub so you have the confidence that everything is done right before the final lift.
We have master electricians on the job at all times during all phases of construction. We know how important it is to have make sure we take all the necessary precautions in providing the utmost safety when dealing with electrical. Make sure your installer has a master electrician on sight as well, and is liscensed.
Texas Department Of Licensing and Regulation # 17463
