Questions
Answers
What is the cost of the WindCube®?
The cost of the WindCube® wind power system is $250,000-$300,000 plus the cost of installation. With the many rebates, tax incentives and wind energy tax credits available, businesses can experience a payback in as little as three years. Federal and state incentives can reduce the cost by as much as 70% - 80%.
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What types of rebates and incentives are available for the WindCube®?
Rebates and incentives vary state by state. Refer to the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (www.dsireusa.org) for the most up-to-date specifics.
- Through 2016, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 allows owners of small wind systems with 100 kilowatts (kW) of capacity and less to receive an uncapped investment tax credit for 30% of the total
installed cost of the system. Previously, this incentive was capped at $4,000.
- 50% bonus depreciation is extended to most types of turbines placed in service during 2009.
Bonus depreciation is also available for certain turbines placed in service during 2010.
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How do I know if the WindCube® wind turbine would benefit my business?
The WindCube® is an attractive renewable energy option for:
- Commercial Office Buildings
- Industrial Buildings
- Big Box Retailers
- Government Buildings
- Educational Institutions
- Condominiums
- Ports and Airports
- Island Locations
With net metering, a utility customer that generates electric power on site is entitled to offset electricity that would otherwise have to be purchased at the utility's full retail rate.
Payback on the initial investment in the WindCube® rooftop wind turbine is based on:
- Average wind speed at hub height - wind speed increases with altitude, so the speed at ground level will not be the same as at hub height, on top of a building or tower
- Electric utility rates
- Federal and state rebates and incentives
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How does the WindCube® work when there is more or less wind than usual? Does it store the wind energy for times when there is not enough wind to generate power?
The WindCube® wind power system does not store energy. When there is no wind energy, the building reverts back to using energy from the grid. When more energy is created than the building needs, the energy generated is returned to the grid and users receive a credit for the energy returned.
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What if the WindCube® is facing in a direction where there is no wind?
The WindCube® is designed to harness the wind from any direction. The yaw system rotates the WindCube® into prevailing winds via onboard PLC and customized software. At wind speeds greater than 40 mph, the yaw system moves the WindCube® turbine away from the prevailing winds and activates the braking system. The uniquely
designed bearing requires minimum lubrication and preventive maintenance.
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Who invented the WindCube®?
John W. Fedor is the primary inventor of the WindCube®. He is a designer, inventor and innovator with more than 40 years' experience in the research and development of custom machine tools and systems serving the automotive, truck, heavy equipment, aerospace, hydraulic, electrical and medical industries. He has served as an industry advisor to the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Department of Energy.
Mark Cironi, the President and founder of Green Energy Technologies is listed as the secondary inventor on the WindCube patent. He has more than 30 years of experience in corporate management, sales management and project management. Throughout his career he has sold, managed and implemented technology in the information technology industry with IBM, Oracle and Digital Equipment. Since founding Green Energy Technologies in 2006, he has drawn on the resources of Ohio-based companies to develop the WindCube®.
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How is the WindCube® different from other wind turbines?
The WindCube® is different from other wind turbines in a variety of ways, including:
- It works more efficiently: Because the WindCube® rooftop wind turbine generates electricity by running its motor backwards, there is no need for a gear box, a system that often provides the most problems to wind turbines.
- It has a much smaller footprint: Because the WindCube® does not need as much wind to generate electricity, the WindCube® has a smaller footprint than traditional wind turbines that generate the same amount of power. While the WindCube's blade diameter is 20 feet, a wind turbine generating the same amount of electricity would need blades with a diameter of 50 feet.
- Direct and immediate benefits for its users: The WindCube® takes advantage of the concept of on-site generation, the use of small-scale power generation technologies, such as wind located close to the user they are serving. On-site generation allows users to generate their own energy, offsetting all or part of their electric bill.
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How do I know if my building is strong enough to support the WindCube®?
The WindCube© wind enery system can be built to suit various platforms for many different buildings. If the WindCube® cannot be supported by your building's structure, you can choose a mounted model that generates electricity for your building using the same technology. Green Energy Technologies offers a professional site analysis as part of its service.
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Does the WindCube® generate much noise pollution?
Because the WindCube® is suitable for urban and suburban settings, in most environments where the WindCube will be placed, there is virtually no resulting noise pollution. Our tests have measured around 60 dB of resulting noise, from about 30 feet away from the cube.
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Does the WindCube® endanger birds?
The WindCube® is one of the most bird-friendly modes of generating wind energy. Birds often fly into large wind turbines because they do not see the blades in the air. Because the WindCube is different from traditional wind turbines, the birds are less likely to be injured as a result of:
- High visibility of the WindCube's blades: Because the WindCube itself is a stationary device, it is therefore more visible to birds flying, reducing the chance of birds flying into it.
- Encasing of the WindCube's blades: The WindCube's blades themselves are protected by the shroud, therefore the birds cannot fly directly into the blades.