Hey Keith, Aside from the unique size and application of Shinko's turbine, I wonder if anyone will notice the unusually low electricity consumption numbers for the average family of four in their target market - 290 kWh per month.
Rather embarrassing here where our best average is around 350 kWh / month and the national average is over 1,000. http://www.jarn.co.jp/News/PDF/2003.7.(P3839).pdf Todd Swearingen ----- Original Message ----- From: "Keith Addison" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <biofuel@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Sunday, January 11, 2004 9:46 AM Subject: Re: [biofuel] VW-turbine > Hakan, Hoagy and all > > I've been a bit reluctant to remind us of this... > > http://infoarchive.net/sgroup/BIOFUELS-BIZ/3266/ > > http://www.japanfs.org/db/database.cgi?cmd=dp&num=366&UserNum=&Pass=&A > dminPass=&dp=data_e.html > > Low-Cost Windpower Generators Run on a Breeze > > Date : 20030708 > > Shinko Electric Co. has developed a small, low-cost windpower > generator for residential use. Designed with a vertical axis wind > turbine, the system can be installed on residential rooftops and in > backyards and at small commercial facilities. It could also be used > to provide backup electricity for communications equipment during a > disaster. > > Japan's geography makes wind conditions less than ideal in many > places for wind power generation. The annual average wind speed in > many residential areas is less than four meters per second, and wind > direction is not constant. > > But with its vertical axis, this wind turbine can generate power with > wind from any direction. The system is also suitable for installing > in dense residential areas, since it is nearly silent when in > operation. The turbine starts turning with a minimum windspeed of 0.5 > meters per second, and starts generating electricity at two meters > per second, just enough to move the leaves on trees. The system's > simple design, requiring no starter motor, makes the low cost for the > unit possible. > > The price range for the basic system is between 200,000 and 400,000 > yen (about U.S.$1,700 to $3,300). The company plans to start selling > the system in October 2003. It will be sold as a kit, which > purchasers can assemble and install easily by following the > instructions on a video included with the kit. > > ---- > > ... because, interesting though it appears, this company does not > have a good reputation here for their way of doing business. They > franchise dealerships, and dealers have to commit in advance to an > annual sales quota which is apparently rather high, with nasties in > the small-print if you don't meet the quota. So we've been informed. > > They don't respond to email inquiries, or at least not to ours nor to > others we know of, and we can't find any later information on these > windpower generators. Still, it might be of some interest as it seems > to come close to what you're looking for. There are a couple of > pictures of it here: > http://www.shinko-elec.co.jp/NewsRelease/new_0082.htm > > A power chart here: > http://www.shinko-elec.co.jp/windpower/product/chara.html > > A system diagram here: > http://www.shinko-elec.co.jp/windpower/product/construction.html > > ... and not much else except some purportedly pretty new artwork and > hey! - a Flash cover (yawn). > > Best > > Keith > > > > Biofuel at Journey to Forever: > http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html > > Biofuels list archives: > http://archive.nnytech.net/index.php?list=biofuel > > Please do NOT send Unsubscribe messages to the list address. > To unsubscribe, send an email to: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > To visit your group on the web, go to: > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/biofuel/ > > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > > Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Biofuels list archives: http://archive.nnytech.net/index.php?list=biofuel Please do NOT send Unsubscribe messages to the list address. To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/biofuel/ To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
