Hi Richard,
I know the Playa grande area well. I play golf there everytime I visit the DR.
The area has a wind class 4, which is a "good" wind sourse.
A very important factor is inspecting your "wind site". Visit:
www.windpower.dk/core.htm
click turbine sitting. Read all pages. This editorial will help you to decide
if a wind turbine is SUITABLE for your location.
Using multiple smaller turbines results in:
1. More wear & tear
2. More towers
3. More wires, transfer switches & misc connections.
4. More noise. Small rotors spin faster=increased fluttering!
5. Higher cost for overall kw production.
6. Aesthetically, your home will look like...well you know.
For small turbines "bergey" is the best. I located a few authorized
distributors in Santiago, DR. Go to
www.bergey.com, click world distribution
and zoom into DR.
I suggest buying only the turbine. Given your elevation at 700 feet,
you can install a pivoting tubular metal tower approx 30 feet high. This tower
can be custom made locally having the "hinged" point 10 feet above
ground. Fix a counter weight at the bottom for easier erection. The reasons for this type of tower are:
1. Protect the turbine from hurricanes.
2. Easier inspection of components, lubrication and general maintenance.
3. Bring turbine to the ground when travelling abroad.
4. Replace rusting support wires.
My turbine design is based on large blades with slow rotation but high
torque. This design is less noisy, gives longer bearing life, is hurricane
proof and produces power even under a light breeze. Permanent magnet
generator is used with special design for low inertia-high efficiency.
Due to patent procedure, more info is not yet available, sorry.
Basically, three(3) models are tested:
a. 1kw for battery charging.
b. 10kw for stand alone.
c. 100kw for resorts.
Investing in windpower can be confusing and costly. Look at all products
out there before deciding how to go about it...Georgios.