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Links and Further Reading

If you really want to dive into the world of small wind turbines, the following are some reading suggestions. Other resources on general wind turbines can be found on the main CanWEA website.

General Information & User Guides

NRCan “Stand-Alone Wind Energy Systems – a Buyer’s Guide” (PDF) 
Guidebook developed by Natural Resources Canada. Available as a downlaodable file, or in print.

ÉOLE – Université de Rimouski 
Good resource, in French only. See section called “Une éolienne dans ma cours…”.

AWEA Small Wind Systems 
Plenty of useful information on small wind in the United States. Site provides information, tools and case studies.

Small Wind Systems Slide Show
AWEA's small wind slide show covers a range of topics from wind energy basics to grid interconnection.

Iowa Wind Energy Center – Wind Energy
Comprehensive Wind Energy descision-making manual.

US DOE Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Information on small Wind for Homeowners, Ranchers, and Small Businesses.

Windustry
Offers a variety of information and case studies on wind energy. Most of the focus is on the United States.

Courses & Training Opportunities

People- & Planet-Friendly Events Calendar
(general listing for locations across Canada)
Renewable energy training and events listing.

Everdale Environmental Learning Centre 
(near Hillsburgh, ON - 30 min NE of Guelph; 1 hr NW of of Toronto)
Workshops on topics ranging from solar & wind power to organic farming.

Frank's Alternate Energy
(Thunder Bay, ON)
Solar and wind energy system training, upon request.

Kortright Centre
(Woodbridge, ON - 10 min N of Toronto)
Solar and wind energy hands-on workshops.

TRUE NORTH Power Systems 
(Toronto area)
Offers training on design and installation of small wind turbine and solar systems.

Willis College
(Ottawa, ON)
Complete renewable/clean energy project analysis certification.

If you know of other organisations in Canada that offer small wind energy training, please let us know.

Technical Links

 

Canadian Wind Atlas 
Environment Canada's online atlas provides windspeeds across Canada.  These windspeeds were used in CanWEA's Small Wind Energy Ballpark Cost Calculator.

Home Power
Provides Wind Site Analysis where details on how to and how not to measure wind are explained. Also provides comparison documentation for wind turbines (Apples and Oranges).

Michael A. Klemen’s website
Includes failure and maintenance experiences with pictures for a considerable number of turbines. Has turbine technical information, installation information, and wind and turbine data.

U.S. Dept. of Energy’s Wind Resource Assessment Handbook
Guide to wind resource assessments.

Ontario Electrical Safety Authority (ESA)
Information on small wind safety issues for small wind turbines

Books

The Renewable Energy Handbook
William Kemp. Aztext Press, Ontario, Canada. ISBN 0-9733233-2-9
Guide to renewable energy technologies for homeowners.

Wind Power: Renewable Energy for Home, Farm, & Business
Paul Gipe. Chelsea Green Publishing Company, White River Junction, Vermont. 2004. ISBN 1-931498-14-8 (paper) or 1-931498-60-1 (cloth). 

Achieving Energy Independence - One Step at a Time
Jeffrey R. Yago, Dunimis Technology. 1999.  
A step-by-step guide for the first time alternative power user. Answers installation questions about solar photovoltaic systems, generators, battery inverters, wind turbines, and battery banks, including wiring diagrams and safety issues

Wind Energy Basics : A Guide to Small and Micro Wind Systems
Karen Perez and Paul Gipe (Preface), Chelsea Green Pub Co. 1999. 
Overview of wind energy use around the globe, discusses the most affordable small wind generators, including micro turbines, information on planning, purchasing, siting, and installing a wind system, and on integrating wind power with solar photovoltaics.

New York State Wind Energy Handbook
B. H. Bailey. Prepared for the New York State Energy Office, July, 1982, 51 pp. Available from the New York State Energy Office, Two Rockefeller Plaza, Albany, NY 12223. 
Contains information similar to this site describing wind energy and what is involved in investing in wind power, but specific to the state of New York.

Putnam's Power From the Wind
G. W. Koeppl. Published by Van Nostrand Reinhold Publishing Company, 135 West 50th Street, New York, NY 10020, 1982, 470 pp.
An historical account of the Smith-Putnam wind turbine project of 1934-1945 near Rutland, VT, together with a comprehensive discussion of current wind energy activities in the U.S. and abroad.

The New Wind Power
J. Naar. Published by Penguin Books, 625 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10022, 1982, 251 pp.
A case history account of the development of the modern wind energy industry, including both large and small-scale machines, and a look at the personalities and experiences of people in the wind energy field.

Wind Power Book
J. Park. Published by Cheshire Books, 514 Bryant St., Palo Alto, CA 94301, 1981, 300 pp.
Well-illustrated, comprehensive look at wind-generated electricity, water pumping, mechanical power and space heating. Delves into the evolution of windmill design and applies this information to the development of efficient and reliable wind systems for today.

A Guide to Biological Wind Prospecting
J. Wade and E. Hewson (Oregon State University, July, 1980, 112 pp.). Available from the National Technical Information Service, 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA, 22151. Order No. DOE/ET/20316-80-2.
A guide to the interpretation of the shape and distribution of trees, shrubs, insects and animals to estimate the strength, speed, frequency and direction of the wind.

Wind Machines
F. Eldridge. Published by Van Nostrand Reinhold Publishing Company, 135 West 50th Street, New York, NY 10020, 1980, 232 pp.
An introductory, comprehensive and abundantly illustrated book covering the history of wind machines and examining the technical, economic, environmental, sociological and institutional aspects of wind energy.

A Siting Handbook for Small Wind Energy Conversion Systems
H. Wegley, J. Ramsdell, M. Orgill and R. Drake, Report No. PNL-2521 Rev.1, 1980. Available from the National Technical Information Service (address above).
A presentation of proven siting guidelines for potential owners of small windmills. Discusses siting in flat and mountainous terrain, general wind characteristics and environmental hazards to windmills.

Periodicals

WindSight / WindLink
Canadian Wind Energy Association
www.canwea.ca
(monthly)

Wind Industry News Digest
Alternative Sources of Energy, Inc.
107 S. Central Avenue
Milaca, MN 56353
(monthly)

Windletter
American Wind Energy Association
122 C Street, N.W., Fourth Floor
Washington, D.C. 20001 (www.awea.org)
(monthly)

Solar Age
P.O. Box 985
Farmingdale, NY 11737
(monthly)

Alternative Sources of Energy
Alternative Sources of Energy, Inc.
107 S. Central Avenue
Milaca, MN 56353
(bi-monthly)

Wind Power Digest
Box 700
Bascom, OH 44809
(quarterly)

Wind Energy Report
Wind Publishing Corp.
P.O. Box 14
Rockville Centre, NY 11571
(monthly)