It’s only 30-feet tall and 4 feet in diameter, generates electricity by the spinning of thin, vertical airfoils instead of a propeller … and the Windspire wind turbine can supply up to 20 percent of a typical Wisconsin household’s electricity.
No wonder it’s generating a lot of interest for Electrical Systems and Services Inc. of Sturtevant, the state’s only dealer for this small wind turbine.

“People are really excited about a local company that can provide a small, affordable wind turbine,” says Jay Datt, president and CEO of Electrical Systems. More than 150 people, including state and local officials and business leaders, were on hand last August when Datt’s company held its grand opening as a Windspire dealer. Two of the turbines, including one in front of Electrical System’s headquarters, have been installed and at least nine are in the works, Datt says. There are about 20 proposals under consideration and more than 130 people have inquired about the turbines. Interest in Windspire has come from companies, schools and universities, municipalities and a good number of homeowners.

“Our goal this year is to install two or three a month,” Datt says.

The Windspire looks a bit like a special television antenna or a tall lawn ornament. Its height fits most zoning requirements. The spinning of its vertical foils generates AC electricity for the electrical grid. While working, they are virtually inaudible, putting out only five decibels above ambient noise levels.

The foils also spin at a slower rate and are more visible to birds and bats than the propeller of a commercial-style wind turbine. However, wind energy experts point out that the danger to these critters from any wind tower turbines has been blown out of proportion by the media and public perceptions.

Windspire has other attractive aspects. It’s manufactured at a former auto parts company in Manistee, Mich., with 98 percent of its steel, aluminum and other parts supplied by Michigan companies. Sixty-eight percent of the materials have been recycled.

Windspire produces 2,000 kilowatts of electricity a year in areas with 12 mph average wind speeds, but it produces electricity at as low as 8 mph. That makes it suitable for most of Wisconsin, although the highest average wind speeds are in the eastern portions of the state near Lake Michigan, Wind speeds vary greatly in specific locations, and Electrical Systems does assessments to find suitable sites.

A Windspire turbine costs between $12,000 and $15,000 including installation, Datt says, but federal rebates of 30 percent, state rebates and possible incentives from Wisconsin’s Focus on Energy make the turbines far more affordable. There’s also a 20 percent rebate available for farms from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. These rebates lower the payback period to as little as six to seven years, Datt says.

“Half the inquiries have come from people who aren’t interested in the payback,” he adds. Instead, they’re more concerned about demonstrating their commitment to improving the environment and lowering their carbon footprint.

While Windspire is new to Wisconsin, more than 200 have been installed across the country. Datt became interested in Windspire when he and his daughter visited a bank in Illinois with three of the turbines in front.

Datt, with an engineering degree from the University of Florida and an MBA from the University of Chicago, got the entrepreneurial bug in the mid-1990s. In 1997, he and his wife purchased Electrical Systems, a company with sales of less than $10 million and 25 to 30 employees.

The company’s traditional business has focused on commercial electrical installation, but Datt sees the growth area for his business in clean energy projects. Besides Windspires, the company installs solar-electric systems and LED lighting. And he’s considering becoming a dealer for other brands of small wind turbines, too.

“We’d like to make it (clean energy) 50 percent of the business in the future,” he says.

By John Hill

You can contact John Hill by e-mail at jhoythill@sbcglobal.net.