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To: Broken_Clock who wrote (104293)	5/23/2001 5:55:31 PM
From: Art Bechhoefer	Respond to of 436258

Papaya, daily breezes of 5 to 10 mph are really not enough to consider wind driven generators, which may work at those speeds, but which won't provide much power for the high cost of the unit. For stand alone systems, your best bet is an AstroPower unit with a capacity of about 7.5 kw, with battery backup allowing several hours at more modest usage levels (e.g., enough for the refrigerator and a few lights). Here in upstate New York, latitude 43 degrees, I know of at least two people with stand alone solar units with battery backup and enough daytime power to run the refrigerator, washing machine, computer, TV, lights, and water pump. In very unfavorable winter conditions, with lower light levels and cloudy skies, one person uses a gasoline powered generator. The other only uses battery backup. Both users are paying less for electricity than they would if they were connected to the grid. And remember, this is at latitude 43, in a place where we get a lot of cloudy weather. Art