Small Wind Systems
Small wind turbines (smaller than 100 kilowatts) generating electricity for on-site consumption are also receiving attention in California. State financial incentives such as the California Energy Commission's "buy-down" (available to customers of California's investor-owned utilities), and siting, interconnection and net metering rules, are targeted at small energy consumers. American Wind Energy Association has a comprehensive Web site for small wind applications, including manufacturer contact information, wind resource maps, state-level incentives for small wind, and permitting, siting, and interconnection issues and trends. See also Economics of Grid-Connected Small Wind Turbines in the Domestic Market from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. For more information on the state-level incentives for small wind power in California, see the Emerging Renewables section of the State and Federal Incentives.
