Pouring the Cement for our Redriven Wind Turbine foundation

Six inches of rain added to the fun and created a big mess for the cement pouring. We had to get a special pump and pipeline to transport the cement to the turbine area. With all the rain, the cement truck would have gotten buried in the mud. So we had an unexpected expense to pump the cement from the driveway to the turbine site. The installers were very nice and professional inspite of the gruling rainy work conditions.

The digging begins!

The digging begins for the foundation of our wind turbine.

Still no digging

Déjà vu

We are still waiting for the digging to begin. They say it will be the beginning of next week if all goes well. Apparently, the digging on the projects before ours are are not going so well. They said they would be here Wednesday last week.


I got a copy of a letter from NYSERDA. The letter that said our installers had 120 days to get the system connected. Unfortunately, the letter was un-dated. We got our approval from NYSERDA back in July. I would think those 120 are running out soon.

Getting ready for the tower and cabling

This week the people that place little flags to mark the electric and phone lines will be coming. This is to make sure that we don’t dig in the wrong area for the wind turbine foundation and the underground cables to attach to the inverter.

It is also time to get insurance. I talked to my insurance company back in February when I started this project.

One article on the net that I found helpful on insurance was this one by Mick Sagrillo, Sagrillo Power & Light


http://www.awea.org/smallwind/sagrillo/ms_insur2.html


We’ll need insurance for an “appurtenant structure” and possibly liability insurance (which we already have). From what I’ve read so far, it seems New York State doesn’t allow utilities to require liability insurance.

More info on Redriven the company

I found this interesting article from AgriNews about Redriven – it is old, but I had never seen it before. This gives a little more info about the company.

http://www.agrinewsinteractive.com/fullstory.htm?ArticleID=9835&ShowSection=Front%20Page

My installer Rodney Weaver from Rural Generation and Bolt is quoted too.

Going with the 80 foot tower!

I’ve decided to go with the 80 foot tower .

-The payback period is shorter

- I wouldn’t have to wait for NYSERDA to re-approve me

- I'm getting a tower that has been out and working for over a year

- I’ve spent a lot of money all ready – it is time to make some green power!

My installer says he is ordering the anchors, rebar and pad. We should be ready to dig in 3 weeks. Now I’ve got to clean my garage so I have room on the wall for the inverter equipment. I think my installer said he needed a 6ft by 6ft space. I’ll have to ask again for the spec for that that wall.

Weibull curve

My price for the tower was not right - sorry back to the drawing board on trying to figure out the pay back to determine if this is the right thing to do. My installer thinks that the NYSERDA re-aproval for a 100 vs. 80 foot tower will be quick.

Ellen