previously, i have used this blog-space for random thoughts (with touches of facetiousness...uhm, maybe some sarcacism), but this one is in a more "serious" vein since it's about Bradford's very first wind turbine (and, in the words of the prophet, may there be many more).
i should note that if i were to name where we live i would call it "Windy Acres", and i am no particular fan of wind (even though it tends to keep the bugs away). i have always considered wind as the "criminal element" of the natural world (think hurricanes, tornados), and if i were spiritual i would consider it a force from the "other side". from a more earth-bound sense it is harsh on my plants, keeps the temperature (especially in the springtime) lower than other local temps and frustrates working outside with materials lighter than cast iron. (hyperbole you say? try putting down black plastic, poly. row covers here. leads to mucho foul language).
ok, on to windmills.
after a "slight amount" of fuss/time trying to determine which town board might be responsible for permitting windmills i was ably assisted by Trudy Willette (code officer assistant...who actually does all the work) and Chip Meany then moved my request through the Select Board
and, ...away we go (no negative comments/protestors from abutters).
the unit is a Skystream 3.7 on a 45' pole which is rated to produce 2.4kw when the wind 8mph or more. it has three 6' fiberglass composite blades and rotates clockwise looking upwind. the company installing is Atlantic Air Power, Lebanon NH which, i found, offers the best value for this type of installation. Jim Rock, the owner, is a very easy guy to work with and has good experience with various wind turbine installations in NH and Vt
here's how it works....... the "bird" converts the power generated by the blades to AC power which feeds directly (via conduit-encased wire in a 2' deep trench that goes through a "kill switch"....for the fire people...) into the main breaker in the house. if that power is enough to satisfy the electrical needs of the house at that time then the power goes back out of the breaker into a "net meter" (supplied by PSNH) and PSNH gives credit for the power generated. Once more electrical need is warranted then that is captured from the grid (PSNH).
in order to stabilize the pole we needed to dig an 8' x 8' x 4' deep "hole" which is to be filled with concrete which will hold the steel rods/bolts that the pole is attached to. and, we need that 2' deep trench from the turbine site back to the house. the first consideration....what to do with all the dirt/sand from the hole, and there is lots and lots of it! ditto the trench, but that is back-filled so it doesn't represent a disposal problem. we are fortunate to have both enough place to get rid of the sand and to have very sandy soil to make digging easier (although the sandy soil is no great shakes when it comes to growing fruit trees. doesn't hold moistute worth a damn). 
so...there's the dig (with a bit of trench showing) and the conduit affixed in approximately the center of the dig.
the next step in the process is making up the apparatus that will hold the tower in place....steel rods, bolts, rebar, concrete, etc. and that was ably handled by Jim Rock and his helper Will.
once the bolts, etc. are in place, all leveled, etc. the concrete is poured to within 6" (or so) of ground level....this way you have very little of the base showing once the project is complete.
above picture has Jim lubricating the bolts (on a day full of showers) after the concrete has been poured. now we wait for the concrete to cure, Atlantic sends in the order for the tower and, hopefully, by mid-july we're up and running.
very cool.
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