Potomac Wind Energy

Potomac Wind Energy (PWE) got its start when owner and former surgeon, Carlos Fernandex-Buenos decided to turn his hobby into a living. He was seeing the relatively gentle but erratic Maryland gales (yearly average 12 mph) throw around an antique “Aermotor” windmill at his Dickerson, Maryland home.

Carlos said the Aermotor was originally intended as a water pump, though he was using it as a landscape ornament. It came from a company of the same name in San Angelo Texas, which has continually manufactured windmill parts since 1888. Carlos put an electric generator behind the blades, and took from it an average of six kilowatts.

Today, his company offers several residential wind power products. System outputs range from two to 50 kW and cost $20,000 to $100,000, depending on how much you buy, and what government subsidies are available. Equipment brands include Skystream, and Re-Driven.

Skystream was developed in partnership with the department of energy and called best invention of 2006 by time magazine. The patented blade and tower design costs less than competitors, is quieter, operates at lower wind speeds, and includes a grid-tied power inverter with the unit. Skystream makes the smallest (in terms of power output) and cheapest systems PWE sells – and they will match any competitor’s quote.

Before sale, the company offers site-specific wind analysis to determine how much power is available. Sometimes the result is that site is found to be untenable for wind power. On the PWE website, there’s a video on how to choose the best wind power system in which Carlos advises, “Look to the place where the sun sets – if you see forest and trees, you probably don’t have a good place for wind power.”

Their website has lots of other information, including prices, tax rebate and grant information, wind maps for the state and the country, renewable energy news and events, and a virtual wind assessment based on zip code. There are also links to sites that explain net metering, and the difference between being on or off the electric grid.

Most recently, Fernandex-Buenos is working on three patents for his electric retrofits of Texas-based Aermotor systems, to which he adds three-phase, permanent magnet generators and programmable grid-tied inverters. According to him, the antique wind mill blades in his yard often spin even while the rest of his modern towers – including the Skystream – are standing still.

He’s in the act of collecting data on this. It will take at least another year’s worth before the California Energy Commission (the relevant legal authority) will even consider whether the design warrants federal subsidies for its construction.