Over the last few years you may be aware of the present administrations focus of green energy. The platform has been that the emergence of wind power will create many jobs that will “stimulate our economy”. That may be true with large scale commercial wind turbine building. With small scale unfortunately nothing can be further from the truth.
If you look at the major residential companies out there and believe me I have done exhaustive research and basically the only products I am aware of that are made in the USA are the guys that are rebuilding Delco alternators. The problem with those are that every one we have tested....and we have tested the “major”brands all have exaggerated output. They will charge a 12 volt battery system just not at the rate the advertise. Other companies advertise made in the USA when what the should be saying is assembled in the USA.
Over the last few years. I have repeatedly tried to secure a vendor to build a generator head for my line of Hurricane Wind Turbines. About half of the companies I contacted and we are talking major companies replied to me stating that they did not have the ability to produce a generator head to the specs I provided. The other group of companies wanted exorbitant amount to build “prototypes” and quoted prices no one on the market would be willing to pay. The Moog company....I will mention by name reported to me that for 100,000 dollars they would have an engineer look at it but could not guarantee that a product could be developed. I thought at that time that was the dumbest thing I had ever heard.
I am baffled when I hear politicians speak on the platform that wind energy is our new frontier when we produce very little here. Assuming that the winding and other parts could be manufactured in the US guess where the majority of the RARE earth magnets are? Yes you guessed it China. Assuming the other production issues were resolved it appears the magnets would still have to be imported for the most part. To the customers that ask me is your product made in the USA I answer...NO but neither is the other guys, regardless of what they may say. For me the current reality is that the best wind generators are made over seas. Ginlong for instance is one of the highest quality generator heads on the market, Unlike some of the other companies who imports container loads of product into the US from China manufactured with the cheapest components. My buying strategy is simply this now. We try to purchase the product from Hong Kong not China. Secondly we buy products made with upgraded components bearing coatings etc. As a ardent patriot I am sickened by the reality of the state of the small wind generator market. I hope as wind power gains popularity US companies will get the picture.
Author Resource:
I am Anthony Jones MA owner of Hurricane Wind Power. We are a quality customer oriented wind power store specializing in, wind turbine complete kits,wind generators wind turbines, grid ties and DIY products Http://Hurricanewindpower.com