Wind turbines with gusty winds?

[Christof Stork]

For smaller wind turbines to work well, I assume they need to work with gusty wind that you are more likely to have at a low level. This has probably not been a priority with wind turbine design. I think you need two key features: 1) Ability to speed up quickly (5-10 seconds?) and 2) Ability to work over a wide range of speeds. If you have an ambient wind speed of 15 mph with gusts to 30, there is a lot of potential power in the gusts. Has there been much work with technology for taking advantage of the gusts? This would allow wind potential to be measured not by average wind speed, but by the average of wind speed cubed?

[Jon McGarry]

Hi There,

that's exactly what Microwind turbines do they work from 10 to 30mph

30 mph is actually the rated wind speed for small wind turbines to work.
and the gusts are where you actually get the power. the pickup from the wind is rapid.

My Chinese ones are 500w,400w x 2 .

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwW9OBRok9OYV9vaZfBMniQ

you can look here to give you some idea.

Jon