This represents a major change in direction for wind power turbines in the United States. Who would have imagined turbines keeping people in prison, or providing fuel for your car? New applications are popping up all over the world! Dairies, cattle feeders, schools, and green houses, all using wind turbines!
Wind Inc. (www.wind-inc.com), a wind turbine distributor in Fort Worth, Texas, is finding users for Turbines of the most "exotic" categories. "It seems that we are focusing on special situations. Last week a client called us requesting electricity off of an island in the Pacific Ocean. Our turbines uniquely fill the bill because of their size and configuration. Last week we met with a shrimp farmer off of the coast of Texas. With high winds from the ocean, one wind turbine can power his entire 800 acre shrimp farming operation." said Ben Benson of Wind Inc.
"The same day we met with an irrigation cooperative near Harlingen, and they can use wind turbines to power millions of gallons of water used to grow grapefruit, cotton, and grain. In Amarillo we met with a cattle company that feeds 1,000,000 cattle per day. Just two wind turbines can save them $400,000 a year." he continued.
Turbines are now being used to provide the power for hospitals, prisons, and even city water treatment systems. James Parkey of CorPlan Corrections said: "The prisons we build are like hotels in that they use a lot of electricity. If we can use a wind turbine to save $1,000,000 per year in expenses, that means our profits go up by the same rate."
Palo Pinto County, 80 miles west of Dallas/Fort Worth is considering powering the hospital with wind turbines. "The hospital expenses go up every year, and we can save $250,000 per year with a wind turbine that only costs $950,000. That is over 20% return on our money, and after that it is almost free energy for the next 20 or 30 years. We think that is a bargain." said Dan DeFrank, a consultant in the wind business.
"We are seeing applications in vineyards, mushroom farms, even convenience stores and grocery stores." said Benson of Wind Inc. "We had one man from Palm Springs, who owns a small chain of convenience stores who told us that a turbine increased his business volume by 20% per month." Alan Young, who was one of the largest Buick dealerships of North Texas, before the fall of GM, said: "Car dealers are naturals. They use a lot of lighting, and understand the advertising appeal. Wind turbines simply ‘blow in’ new customers. Plus new electric cars are in the works, and Wind Turbines will provide electricity for cars. Imagine, cars powered from wind energy!"
"2 weeks ago we got an email from a man from Australia who has designed a refitted aircraft carrier. The ship has a combination of wind turbines, and solar panels to provide power for reverse osmosis , desalination technology, that can produce 2,000,000 gallons of fresh water from salt water per day, at a cost of less than $1.25 per thousand gallons. All of the power is free, from wind and sun, and the water source is unlimited. Who would imagined this 10 years ago?" said Ernst Diener an expert in wind technology. Visonary companies such as Wind Inc., work on a business model that sees a future of "end users" of Wind Turbines. LIke the computer business they believe wind will evolve away from giant wind farms to a system wherein millions of farmers, business owners, universities, schools, and hospitals will have their "own" wind turbine and essentially eliminate their electric bills. The nation of Holland has evolved in this way, and turbines are everywhere.
"I think of reaching my hand into the sky above, and grabbing the wind, and turning it into electricity. That is what we are doing. While many people fear the huge electric rate increases of the future, I see wind turbines as the answer for the common businessman. I see them as a way cattlemen and dairies can again become very profitable. It is the future!" said Ben Benson, VP of Wind Inc. in Fort Worth.
