Really, like I don't understand that? A typical home uses appr 10 kWh (10,000 kilowatt hours) of electricity a year, the bigger the house, the more it uses. This business, I would roughly estimate, uses about the same as 4 typical houses. That's just an estimate for conversation purposes.
That means they use appr 40 kWh a year, about 3.4 kWh a month. That means they would have to generate more than that to turn a profit. You can consider the savings alone to be a business profit and after some period of time would pay for the installation of the turbine.
I have walked by that turbine many times when it isn't even moving or moving very slowly, at night, winds typically die down. Sometimes, in an ideal installation location, as this should be at the top of a hill even at night there is enough wind to keep it turning at production level, at least 7 mph, 10-20 mph to get maximum benefit. There have been other times when it's spinning like crazy, that's when it's making the most noise obviously.
I'm wondering if this model has a brake. They come with braking systems to keep the blades from overspinning. If this model doesn't have one or has been disabled, that might explain excessive noise on windy nights. Also, the noise can be worse on one side as opposed to the other, depending on wind direction. If the blades are facing you, your not going to hear the generator as loudly as when the blades are facing away and the generator is facing you. I have to say though, most of the time I've walked by and the blades were spinning, you could barely hear it. I only heard it clearly when the blades are spinning fast or at max spin.
During those times it is producing a lot more than is being used. Since i'm not privy to the details of what he uses on a monthly basis and I can only guess by the size of the turbine, that it's in the 5-20 kWh range, which means it can produce no more than 20 kWh no matter how fast the blades are spinning. That's just a guess though, it is possible it's closer to a 40-60 kWh generator, which would make it more profitable. You'd need to study the output over a full year, to know what the average for any period of time is and exactly how much it is saving or costing. I have to guess, right now, he is paying the electric company more than he is getting back annually.
It's still saving him at least enough to pay it off and if it is still running after it's paid off, it will turn a very good profit by the end of it's life cycle, which could be infinite with proper maintenance and replacement. 50 yrs from now, his grandchildren will be running the business without having to pay an electric bill.
By then they will have replaced the generator with a far more efficient one and will probably be selling as much, if not more, than it uses. If more businesses did this, they would be doing their future generations a service. Of course, in time the generators will be a lot quieter and that would make them more appealing.
Like I said. When I've walked by when it's spinning fast, it does emit a high pitched noise, enough to be noticeable, but, even that close I can't see where they could hear it over an in the window ac, that sounds fishy to me. The street is only about 120' away. The closest house in Hamlet Ct. is about 250' away, with all kinds of trees and buildings that serve to muffle the sound.
I can't believe it's so loud they can't sleep, consistently. I'd have to stay there some night or stand in their yard about 2 am when it's spinning at full speed to know for sure though. I'm only going by hearing it on the street with no obstructions at about 120'.
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