Signs of Revival for Small Wind Turbine Industry in the US

Looking at the Osiris 10 US installation picture above, my thoughts flew away from the snowy Ohio into upcoming spring and summer . We’ll see much more Osiris 10 small wind turbines installed on this beautiful land this year.

It has been a quiet year in 2014 for small wind industry in the US while many people were chasing sun (solar).  We now see some signs of revival in 2015 for good reasons.

First, the US Federal government is now behind the QUALITY small wind turbines.  On January 20th, The U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued Notice 2015-4 providing new performance and quality standards that require certification of small wind turbines in order to qualify for the 30% federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC).  Small Wind Turbine like Osiris 10, IEC61400-2 and AWEA 9.1 certified, can compete on a fair ground with other quality wind turbines.

Second, the small wind industry still exists after recent tough years.  The main reason is that we can still find many people who love small wind turbines in such a big land.  Our installer partners want to take the challenge of dealing with this complex small wind turbine technology (It is great way for kids to get into multidisciplinary studies of science) to experience great satisfaction after installing them.  Many people still feel proud to have a small wind turbine erected on their land.

Third, we learned a new way of supporting our installer partners in this niche market.  We are able to establish a close-knit -community, we call it Osiris Energy Small Wind Village where  we connect our installer partners to help them make hard-to-find friends and exchange expertise in a non-competitive environment.  They are not fighting the battle alone.  They can get support not only from the manufacturers but their peers.  We’ve seen it works beautifully.

Osiris 10 is proven working in the US.  Osiris 10 brought in exciting technology advancement into the industry.  But we have to admit that there is a longer than expected learning curve.  We are fortunate to have our loyal installer partners on our side.  They had visited Osiris Energy factory and built trust in the quality of product and our people behind the product. They gave us good suggestions on product, documentation and service along the way.  We took their inputs with great appreciation as we want to drive continuous improvement to better serve our customers for the long run. Now several Osiris 10 are installed and monitored remotely.  Our installers are in a favorite position to share their successful stories with more potential customers to generate more business.

Not everyday is sunny day, sometimes it is a windy day or even a snowy day. That’s nature. The energy shall come from different sources including small wind turbine.  We sincerely invite more installer friends to join our Osiris Energy Small Wind Village!  Please contact us at sales@osirisenergy-usa.com.

OSIRIS ENERGY is a global manufacturer and marketer of small wind turbine systems.  The company has a strong worldwide leadership position. Our leading-edge small wind turbine technologies are especially designed for low wind and harsh environments.  AWEA 9.1 certified Osiris 10 small wind turbine system is through InterTek.  Osiris 10 also achieved IEC61400-2 and Denmark certification.  Osiris 10 is listed on the unified equipment list for ITAC state incentives.  www.osirisenergy.com   www.osirisenergy-usa.com.

Osiris 10 Small Wind Turbine Installed in Windy Kansas

Sterling Conduit lives in Kansas, a state where Dorothy and Toto (The Wizard of Oz) used to live before their house was carried away by tornado.  Sterling has built his SRI Remodeling over the last ten years.  In recent years, he is attracted to renewable energy.  He is now doing business as SRI Wind Solar.  Sterling is determined to make small wind turbine to work in Kansas despite of technology complexity and lack of state incentives.  Osiris 10 made it possible with its high performance, affordable pricing and high reliability in harsh environment.  Soon after, he was on his way to attend Osiris Energy global dealer training in Ningbo China at the factory, meeting with other experienced dealers from US, Europe, Australia and Asia.  It was an intense training with both theoretical teachings and hands-on practices.  Yes it was full of fun.  Sterling said “Osiris turbine training is awesome.”

This month, Sterling commissioned his first Osiris 10 small wind turbine for his client where the average wind speed is over 8 m/s   Sterling represents the type of dealers we want to grow business with, a good entrepreneur who loves small wind turbine, has business integrity and a kind heart toward people and nature.

5 REASON WHY SMALL WIND INDUSTRY IS SMALL

           

In the middle of snowstorm, I am still feeling gratitude for this trip to east coast. I met wonderful people. I also got some answers to a question which puzzled me, “Why small wind turbine industry is small, standing on the sideline watching the takeoff of the other renewable energy industries?”

The small wind industry went through a tough period in the last three years. Many professionals left the industry, while the remaining found it harder to find customers. We cannot simply blame solar industry for stealing the market share. Five reasons emerges from my conversations with people in the industry.

The first reason is lack of small wind turbine standard during the early stage of adoption. Both installers and customers were in the dark during equipment selection. Poor quality turbines flooded the market, damaging the trust of customers to this burgeoning industry. It’ll take some time to regain customer confidence after the establishment of the AWEA 9.1 standard.

The second reason is undisciplined dealer network. Driven by profit, some manufacturers took on dealers without due diligence, resulting in unattainable sales claims, inappropriate equipment recommendation, poor installation, or lack of maintenance. This practice not only left a bad taste in the mouth of customers, but also created a challenging environment for good installers.

The third reason is insufficient dealer support. Dealers are traditionally viewed as “outsiders” vs. partners for a manufacturer. Some distributors, instead of providing value-added services, became a barrier for communication between dealers and customers. Dealers may have to fight their own battle in this challenging environment.

The forth reason is excessive zoning requirements with decentralized decision making at the township level. This practice not only increases the installation cost but also turning way the customers who may have expressed early interest. Unfavorable industry stories contribute to even more stringent zoning requirements, becoming a vicious cycle.

The five reason is financing. The finance institutes hesitate to embrace small wind technology considering its “in-consistent” power output, complex technology and associated maintenance risks. The high upfront cost impacts adoption though customers will have an opportunity to enjoy free energy for many years after a short payback period. I would like to put financing on the last point as its alone won’t be able to save the industry.

It is a tough time. Yet, I sense hope in the small wind industry. The small wind professionals who chose to stay in the industry are wonderful people. They love the small wind technologies. They are passionate about their work. They care about the environment and sustainability. They are the hope to create a new set of rules for the game to grow the industry.

Thank you and please follow us on:
www.osirisenergy-usa.com

INTERTEK VS. SWCC VS. AWEA 9.1 CERTIFICATION

 

      

People frequently asked us to clarify the following terms applied for small wind turbines: InterTek, SWCC and AWEA 9.1. I hope this article can shed some light on it.

Intertek provided testing and certification services for Osiris 10 small wind turbines according to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) 9.1 Standard.

SWCC – Small Wind Certification Council, also provides testing and certification to the AWEA 9.1 Standard.

Both InterTek and SWCC are authorized testing agents. Below are the explanation from InterTek.

Our Accreditations (InterTek)
As an OSHA accredited Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL), Intertek can provide both testing and certification to the AWEA standard. Separate Small Wind Certification Council (SWCC) certification is NOT required. With Intertek the cost of certification is included with the testing. There are no separate fees for notice of intent or issuance of certification.

 

WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT OSIRIS 10 BLADES?

Osiris 10 represents the latest technological development in the small wind industry. The blades are one of the most important components of a small wind system. Osiris 10 blades are uniquely designed and built with the following special features. BIGGER: Osiris 10 has 9.7 meters blade diameter and 74 square feet swept area, allowing it to generate more power especially in the low wind areas. STRONGER: Osiris 10 blades are made of carbon fiber composite reinforced fiber glass materials which are 9-12 times stronger than fiber glass. The blades materials are tested by Shanghai FRP institute. These blades are made using special designed 5 tons’ aluminum RTM mold. Osiris blades can withstand up to 30,000 N/M loading which is more than 8 times stronger than the working condition loading of 3,800 N/M. SMOOTHER: Three blades for Osiris 10 are hand-picked for proper balance before shipping. The pitch of these blades are designed to be automatically synchronized, saving setup time. The springs ensure the smoother pitch when wind blows. Bigger, Stronger and Smoother running blades contribute to the excellent performance and safe operation of Osiris 10 small wind turbine system. Welcome to sign up Osiris Energy Village Blog for more information and news.

OSIRIS ENERGY IN 2013

In 2013, Osiris Energy was on many exciting T. R. I. P. S. (our Value) with our small wind turbine friends all over the world.

 

We had a fruitful year with many great events. Here are a few:
– Osiris 10 received AWEA 9.1 Certification, a milestone for the company and a key for our dealers to unlock the market potential.
– Osiris Energy dealers attended the comprehensive on-site training at our factory in China, a wonderful experience.
– We had many successful installations globally. Here is an amazing story, Osiris Energy Builds Worlds Largest Small Wind Forest in Thailand.
– Small wind pioneers discussed the business with us at the premiums trade shows, such as 28th EU PVSEC 2013 in Paris, France.

Osiris Energy Village is an Eco System we created so that our partners would be able to build good relationships and share knowledge with each other no matter which country you are from. Individually, we are small. Together, we are BIG.

At this holiday season, We want to thank every one of you for promoting Osiris Energy small wind turbines and your contribution to our Osiris Energy Village. Osiris Energy will continue to deliver on our promises and support your business growth. We are looking forward to a prosperous 2014 together!