First off, anyone who tells you they’ve got the magic bullet for renewable energy is either shilling a product, or delusional. The future of energy will be, as it is today, a mixture of policy and technology specific to the needs of the consumer. For the purposes of this post, I’d like to highlight one element of the energy future, micro-energy which is a form of distributed energy generation.

Distributed energy generation is touted as part of the futuristic sounding ‘smart-grid’. A future where traditional energy generation is supplemented with energy created close to the point of consumption, and individual machines and appliances communicate with each other and the grid in an effort to minimize consumer costs. It’s interesting to think that soon your dishwasher could refuse to operate because the grid has determined that it’s nearing capacity and is managing demand to avoid a disruption. Want to run that dishwasher regardless? Well then it’s time to invest in your own micro energy.

Vertical Axis Wind Turbines were first developed over 1300 years ago in Afghanistan. They were used by local residents to automate the task of pumping drinking water and irrigating crops, such as wheat and corn. Today Vertical Axis Wind Turbines are at the forefront of the micro wind industry. They are a practical, reliable, scalable and an economically viable source of renewable energy anywhere the wind blows.

Why is it called a Vertical Axis Wind Turbine? This is, for the simple reason that the rotator shaft of the turbine is placed vertically to the ground. This leads to a number of advantages that Vertical Axis Wind Turbines have over the Horizontal Axis Turbine.

Vertical Axis Wind Turbines are Omni directional meaning they do not have to adjust their orientation to match the direction of the wind. The benefit of this is that the energy generated from the wind is maximized regardless of the direction of the wind or the turbine. Additionally, being Omni directional means that Vertical Axis Wind Turbines use fewer parts and as a result, operating costs are substantially reduced and the durability and reliability of the product increases. These are significant advantages that Vertical Axis Wind Turbines have over their horizontal counterparts.

Diesel has been used as a source of energy for many many years. Up until recently Diesel electricity has been one of the easiest and least expensive options. The view of diesel changed during the last oil price spike when suddenly electricity from diesel was significantly more expensive. Despite the current ‘low’ in diesel prices (approximately $80/bbl when this article was written), the days of cheap oil are past.

Diesel electricity is typically used where other sources are unavailable. In Global Wind Groups home country, Canada, this typically means remote /northern communities, outposts, and recreational properties. In many island countries, the entire island is powered by diesel fuel, leaving regular citizens and businesses exposed to fluctuations in the international oil markets.

Global Wind Group Inc.¹s renewable energy products are an excellent way to off-set diesel consumption. Installations of GWGs Vertical-Axis Wind Turbines (VAWT) are scalable, meaning as more power is needed more turbines are installed. Since each turbine saves diesel costs, those savings can be re-invested in more turbines, eventually leading to an elimination of diesel altogether.

Investing in renewable energy sources is a wise decision which insulates customers from rising fuel prices. Contact us today to discover what a
Global Wind Group Inc. Vertical-axis wind turbine can do for you.

The amount and source of energy used by the world is going to change. It has to. It will change for a variety of reasons: some under our control – like getting serious about reducing greenhouse gas emissions (which may lead to some kind of c

arbon taxation scheme), and others not under our control – like a dwindling supply of oil and natural gas (which will also mean prices may increase substantially).

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Keys to successful renewable energy funding grant applications

We would like to share with your Global Wind Group Inc.’s experience in guiding the Rural Municipality of Morris through their successful application to the Manitoba Conservation Sustainable Development Innovations Fund for $25,000:

• Understand the purpose of the grant i.e. to study a new technology, reduce energy costs, and stimulate the ‘green’ economy.
• Use language contained in the grant description in the application.
• Connect the application with as many of the criteria as possible, be creative.
• Speak with the contact person before submitting the application. Listen carefully for key words or phrases that should be included in the application.
• Follow-up to confirm receipt of the application and ask about specific timelines, i.e. when the grant review committee meets next.
• Be patient, approving a grant takes a fair amount of time. After-all, you want grant money spent on truly meaningful projects, like yours.