Residential Wind Power System Ratings, A Homeowner's Guide...

We give each brand a rating of from 1 to 5 stars with 5* being the brand that we would choose if we were shopping for our own home. When more than one brand has a 5* rating, we would choose the least expensive option. Also included are our comments regarding the advantages and disadvantages of the products.

AEROSTAR------------aerostarwind.com---------<1* This brand features downwind horozontal wind turbines. They offer guyed towers and the systems can be purchased online directly from the manufacturer. They feature centrifugal tips to automatically limit the rotor speed as well as an electronic braking system.

AEROTECTURE---------aerotecture.com-----------5* These units are custom built vertical wind turbines. They are only available in Chicago and San Francisco right now. They offer hybrid systems which combine solar panels with the wind turbine. The systems are modular and can be stacked on top of each other to increase power output.

AIRDOLPHIN----------zephyreco.co.jp----------<1* These units are made in Japan by ZEPHYR CORPORATION. They offer horozontal upwind turbines with low mass carbon fiber rotor blades. The units have a power assist function that allows the rotor to start at lower wind speeds. They can be used for grid tied or off grid systems and are sold through dealers.

AMPAIR--------------ampair.com---------------<1* This brand is a part of BOOST ENERGY SYSTEMS LTD. The units are made in the U.K. and sold worldwide. They feature horozontal units for either battery charge or grid tie applications.

ARE-----------------abundantre.com------------1* This brand features 2.5 kw horozontal upwind turbines. They have a good warranty but they are expensive for the relatively low tech units.

BERGEY--------------bergey.com----------------1* This brand features horozontal turbines in 1, 7.5, and 10 kw sizes. Their 2 kw HOME SURE SYSTEM is a battery tied system that is good for applications where you do not have stable power supplied from a grid. You can buy the systems directly from the manufacturer but they are pretty expensive for the technology you are getting.

BORNAY--------------bornay.com---------------<1* The INCLIN horozontal upwind turbines are made in Spain and sold worldwide. They are designed to work in parallel with solar panel installations and can be used in either grid tie or off grid applications. Both of the applications require the use of a battery and the warranty on the units is not very good.

CLEANFIELD ENERGY---cleanfieldenergy.com------2* These vertical turbines are made in Canada and are available for roof or tower mounting. They are sold through dealers.

ENVIRO-ENERGIES -- enviro-energies.com -----5* This brand features magnetic vertical axis wind turbines. They have a unique design that looks like a sail and is good for low wind speeds and allows for roof mounting. They are backed by a very good warranty but their distribution channel is limited right now.

EOLTEC--------------eoltec.com---------------<1* The SCIROCCO units are horozontal upwind turbines with a rated output of 6kw. They are suitable for standalone or grid-tie applications. The manufacturer's website is not much help and does not have a stated warranty policy.

EVANCE--------------evancewind.com------------1* This brand is made in the U.K. by ISKRA WIND TURBINES LTD. The R9000 units are horozontal upwind turbines with reactive pitch technology. They have a very low (5.6 mph) starting speed and do not have a cutout speed so they can produce power in a wide range of wind conditions.

FINNWIND------------finnwind.fi---------------1* The TUULE T 188 units are 4kw horozontal units. They offer models designed for heating systems, combined heating & battery charging, or grid tie applications. The units are made and sold in Finland but will be available internationally soon.

FORTIS-----------fortiswindenergy.com---------1* This brand offers three systems (1.4, 5, and 12 kw) featuring horozontal downwind turbines. They have a good warranty for that type of turbine.

GAIA WIND--------- gaia-wind.com ----------<1* These systems are manufactured in Denmark and feature downwind horozontal turbines. They have an internet connected control system for monitoring and are free yawing which allows for optimum efficiency.

GUSTO---------------gustoenergy.com-----------1* These units are made and sold in New Zealand. They offer horozontal upwind turbines with a maximum output of 2 kw. The warranty is pretty good for that type of turbine. The manufacturer's website is not much help and the units are only available in New Zealand.

HELIX---------------helixwind.com-------------5* The S322 units are simple to install, modular, and scalable. They are suitable for grid tie or off grid with the optional battery charge system. Their modular turbine mounting tower system is unique. They are backed by a very good warranty and it can even be extended.

JACOBS--------------windturbine.net----------<1* This brand is from WIND TURBINE INDUSTRIES CORP. and features horozontal tower mounted turbines in sizes from 10 to 20 kw. The standard warranty on the systems is not very good but can be extended. They are only sold through dealers and are larger than needed for most residential applications.

KESTREL-------------kestrelwind.co.za--------<1* These horozontal downwind turbines are made in South Africa. They can be used in either grid tie or off grid situations and are available in sizes from 600 to 3000Watts. They do not offer packaged systems but sell all of the parts that you need. The warranty is not very good when compared to similar units.

NAVITRON------------navitron.org.uk----------<1* These units are from the U.K. and can be ourchased online. They offer uniots in sizes from 200W to 20KW but the systems use batteries. They are horozontal upwind turbines that are designed for low wind speed areas. The manufacturer's website does not have a stated warranty policy.

PACWIND-------------pacwind.net---------------5* The ALPHA series units are cage style vertical turbines and are good for low wind areas. The SEAHAWK units are for smaller homes while the AEOLIAN units are for larger homes. The DELTA series units are fixed three blade units which are better for moderate to high wind speed areas. They are avilable in either 2kw or 10kw sizes. This brand is backed by a very good warranty.

PROVEN--------------provenenergy.co.uk-------<1* These units are horozontal units that are sold through dealers. They are available in 2.5, 6, and 15 kw sizes and feature a flexible blade system for better wind performance. The manufacturer's website is not much help and does not have a stated warranty policy.

QUIETREVOLUTION-----quietrevolution.co.uk-----3* This brand is made in the U.K. and is available in the United States and Europe. The QR5 systems are vertical turbines which must be connected to a three phase power supply. (They are more suitable for Europe than the United States.)

ReDriven------------redriven.net-------------<1* These units are more suited for commercial applications than for homes. They are available in 2, 5, 10, and 20 kw sizes and are tower mounted horozontal turbines. The manufacturer's website is not much help and does not have a stated warranty policy.

ROPATEC-------------ropatec.com---------------2* These vertical turbine systems are made in Italy. They have systems for off grid or grid tie applications. The manufacturer's website is not much help and does not have a stated warranty policy.

SAMREY--------------samrey.co.uk-------------<1* This brand is made and sold in the U.K. They offer small (Wren 300W), medium (Mistral 1KW), and large (Merlin 2.5KW) packages. The units can be grid tied or off grid with either freestanding or guyed tower options. The manufacturer's website is not much help and does not have a stated warranty policy.

SKYSTREAM-----------skystreamenergy.com-------1* These systems are from SOUTHWEST WINDPOWER INC. and are horozontal downwind turbines. They controls and inverter are built into the turbine assembly and are therefore easier to install. They offer a battery charge controller kit and are backed by a good warranty.

StatoEolian------- gual-industrie.com ------4* These vertical turbine units are made in France. They are available in two sizes and have a good warranty.

SWIFT--------------swiftwindturbines.com------1* These horozontal upwind turbines are made by CASCADE ENGINEERING. and sold through dealers. They can be building mounted or freestanding and used in grid tied or off grid applications. The dealer network is very limited making it hard to purchase them.

TECHNOSPIN----------tswind.com----------------1* This brand offers a wide variety of horozontal turbines. The PowerSpin series units are designed for residential and small commercial applications. They are available now in 2.2 & 4 kw models with an 8kw system to be available in the first quarter of 2010. The systems do not include the inverter that is required.

UGE-----------------urbangreenenergy.com------2* Their second generation VAWT units are grid tie units that are available in 1kw or 4 kw sizes. The units can be roof or tower mounted and feature a radical blade design that looks like a modern piece of art. You can purchase the units online from the manufacturer and they also have a financing program available.

VENTERA-------------venteraenergy.com---------1* This brand offers a hybrid system that combines a 10 kw horozontal tower mounted turbine with 2 kw solar panels. The VT10 wind turbine is for grid connection and produces 240 volt three phase power.

WePower-------------wepower.us----------------5* The Falcon series vertical wind turbines are available in five sizes from 600 watts to 12000 watts. They are backed by a strong warranty.

WES-----------------windenergysolutions.nl---<1* These units are made in the Netherlands and are available worldwide. The WES 5 TUPILO is a horozontal turbine that is grid tied and is suited for homes. The manufacturer's website is not much help and does not have a stated warranty policy.

WINDATION-----------windation.com-------------5* This brand is more for commercial applications and features a 5 kw system. They are backed by a very good warranty and are a good option for an office building.

WIND LOTUS----------leviathanenergyinc.com----2* These units are larger (3.5 or 5 kw) than needed for an average home. They offer grid tied or battery systems. The manufacturer's website is not much help and does not have a stated warranty policy.

WINDSAVE------------windsave.com-------------<1* This brand is made in Scotland and is available throughout the U.K. The WS1200 is a wall mounted horozontal upwind turbine. It is designed for grid tie applications. The warranty is not as good as many other brands.

WINDSIDE------------windside.com--------------2* These units are made in Finland by OY WINDSIDE PRODUCTION LTD and sold in Europe and Asia through distributors. These are vertical turbines that are designed for off grid applications.

WINDSPIRE-----------windspire.info------------5* This brand features vertical wind turbines mounted on a hinged monopole for easier servicing. they have an integrated inverter for easier installation and are backed by a good warranty. They are sold through a dealer network.

WINDTERRA-----------windterra.com-------------2* These vertical turbine systems are made in Canada. The ECO 1200 models are roof mountable for easy installation and can be grid tied or off grid systems. The manufacturer's website is not much help and does not have a stated warranty policy.

WINGLETTE-----------winglette.com------------<1* These units are made in South Africa and are tower mounted horozontal upwind turbines. The WO3 units are designed for low to medium wind speeds and use a battery bank for both grid tie and off grid applications. The warranty on the units is not very good when compared to other brands.

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