wind power grid-tie?

Question

Why do you have to have a battery connected to a grid-tie wind power system? Can you connect your wind power devices to an inverter then to the grid? (PMG capabilities would not be greater than the inverter's normal wattage limits)

Answer 1

Like my photovoltaic solar system, you would not need batteries to tie a wind power system to the grid.

Batteries would be needed only if you wanted to have power when the utility had an outage

Answer 2

MOST wind turbines generate AC and convert to DC internally. There is a reason "grid tie" inverters are so expensive. The REQUIRED safety features to protect power company line workers. (Standby generator transfer switches are expensive for the same reason.) Inverters, in sizes reasonable for the "average" home ARE expensive, grid tie or not, unless the home is designed and wired specifically FOR "off grid" and has "separated" circuit design allowing use of several smaller inverters. ALSO, your power company must APPROVE the grid tie connection. Not all of them do at this time. Even WITH grid tie, it is STILL a good idea to use a battery bank, to supply power IF the "lines" are down.

Answer 3

Check with your local power utility... they have specifications for tying into the grid. They can not refuse you by law but your input must be in phase with line power. A DC to AC converter with phase signal is usually required. An AC induction motor driven slightly over synchronous speed (1800, 3600 rpm) will automatically match line phase. The problem is maintaining critical RPM as wind velicity varies...
The utilities frown on turning their meters backward, and they usually require a second meter to show flow in to the grid.
You only need batteries if you want to store power for your own use when there is no wind.