The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) recently released its annual Global Market Study [PDF] of the small wind market, and I thought I'd share this information considering the intersect of green building and small wind. According to the study, the U.S. market for small wind turbines — those with a capacity of 100 kW of less — added 20.3 MW of new capacity on $82.4 million in sales in 2009.
Recently we mentioned Studio Shed, a startup that builds eco-friendly prefabricated sheds for equipment, storage, and office sheds. The company just installed its sixth modern shed in Boulder and has delivered four others to California. In completing these ten projects, Studio Shed has perfected the overall prefabrication and shipping experience provided to customers and is now offering a 5% discount on orders through June 15, 2010.
Niagara Conservation has developed what it claims is the world’s only 0.8 gallons per flush toilet, the Stealth. The ultra high efficiency toilet — recently profiled as Alex Wilson’s Cool Product of the Week — uses a patented hydraulic technology to deliver a quiet flush with the performance of a pressure-assist toilet. It’s a water saver, too, using approximately 37% less water than a standard high efficiency toilet.
After completing a pair of ultra green prefab townhomes in Oakland, ZETA Communities is now designing two larger projects in planning for parking lot sites in Berkeley and San Francisco. In collaboration with developer Panoramic Interests, these tiny SmartSpaces will be car-free, factory-built, and designed for LEED Platinum certification.
Urban Green Energy just announced the launch of “eddy,” a new small wind vertical axis wind turbine for home or office applications. The sleek wind turbine, according to the company, is “whisper quiet,” starts turning in 8 mile per hour winds, and has a maximum safe wind speed of more than 120 miles per hour.
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