California’s wind
pp. 61-62 · Read in the full issue
farmers look to the South Pacific
TOM BARBER, writer of the following article, is a Sydney-based architect at present working in the California Wind Farm industry. He has pioneered the commercial application of wind turbines and their connection to the national electrical grid system in California, where he is project designer for Zond Systems Inc. He is now in Australia evaluating the potential for a wind industry in the South Pacific.
Recent technological develop
ments in the generation of electr icity from windmills have made it possible to supplement fuel driven generators with wind machines, at low cost.
The rising price of oil has driven the Danish and Dutch governments to re-examine their traditional windmill supplemented energy systems.
Holland now has about 12 wind turbine manufacturers and Denmark four. The United States, in a similarly oil dependent position, is rapidly de veloping its own industry.
Zond Systems Inc., a Califor nia-based energy systems com pany, has been installing wind energy conversion systems for the past three years. Zond’s pre sent facility in Tehachapi,
California, supplies 10 mega Watts to Southern Califor nia Edison at a contracted rate.
By the year 2000 it is hoped that 10 per cent of California’s electr ical energy will be supplied by such alternative systems.
Situated on a windy ridge in the Tehachapi Mountains, the exist ing facility uses medium range machines in the 40-300 kW/hour range.
Two systems are employed.
One system is independent of the State grid, relying either on bat teries or a diesel generator as a storage and back-up system.
The other is connected to the grid. Use of this system, which has been most successful on a
larger scale, has been helped by
the California State Government encouraging the public utilities to buy back any surplus power pro duced by a wind turbine. The utility remains connected to the
wind farm, as a storage system and back-up for any downturn on the wind system, or for routine maintenance.
After recent contacts with Vanuatu it is hoped to set up the first supplementary wind system in the South Pacific. It will be particularly beneficial for the tourist and resort industries, both high electricity consumers. The price of a wind system compares favorably to the current kilo Watt
price quoted in Vanuatu. This will supplement single installa tions on the outlying islands, which are still in the project
stage.
Tom Barber.
Sentinels in the wind: The Zond wind farm in California where developments are expected to have Pacific applications. See PIM last month for details of the
Antelope Engineering project
which is already installing wind turbines in the Pacific.