Technology How do you choose the right turbine for your large project? If you are investing hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars in a wind turbine, you need to make an informed choice.
Size
You will want to choose a turbine that meets the size needs of your project. When you reach the point of choosing a wind turbine, you will have decided at least roughly how big you want your project to be-whether it's multiple large turbines or just one. Some financial incentives are limited to certain project size ranges, so keep that in mind as you select your turbine. For example, the Illinois State Renewable Energy Resource Grant Program offers different levels of grants for different sized projects. It might be to your benefit to choose a turbine in the upper ranges of one of the established categories.
Wind Resource and Climate
Some turbines are specifically designed to work in lower wind resource areas such as much of Illinois. Other turbines are designed to work in arctic conditions, which might be valuable during Illinois winters. A wind turbine model with a track record in areas with similar wind resources and climates to your site might be a good choice.
Availability
You might find the perfect turbine to fit your needs, but it needs to be available in your timeframe. Many large wind turbine manufacturers are based in Europe, making transportation and timing important considerations. Also, not every manufacturer is interested in supplying orders for small numbers or single turbines. They find it more cost effective to focus on large projects.
Proximity of Operations and Maintenance Teams
Your operations and maintenance costs will be significantly reduced if your turbine supplier has active O&M teams in your area. This reduces the cost of travel and response times for unexpected maintenance problems.
Local Resources
One major wind turbine manufacturer, NEG Micon (recently merged with Vestas) of Denmark, has a Midwest office and service facility in Champaign, Illinois, and maintains its U.S. operations headquarters in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. NEG Micon/Vestas turbines are common in the Midwest, including several projects in Minnesota and Iowa. Some of these projects are small, locally owned projects that consist of single turbines or small clusters of turbines. The "Case Studies" section of this handbook includes several projects that use NEG Micon turbines.Important Information About Large Turbine Projects
