Energy Advertising Supplement TheReview Wednesday, November 28,1990 — C2 Hydro man keeps wind power alive on Island A B.C. Hydro employee in his spare time has kept a Vancouver Island windmill turning for the past five years despite the waning of public interest in wind power because of plentiful energy sup- plies. Bill Walker, a 39-year-old Vic- toria-based electrician, believes his efforts may have paid off now that world focus is on energy again as a result of the Gulf crisis. “There is a place for wind power in B.C., perhaps not as a huge contributor but there are lots of isolated communities not con- nected to the Hydro grid which use gas-powered generators. “These communities should de- finitely look at wind power as a complement to their generators,” said Walker who has worked for Hydro for 20 years. The windmill, financed about Bill Walker, the B.C. Hydro elec- trician responsible for keeping wind power alive on Vancouver Island. 10 years ago by the National Research Council and the federal Ministry of Energy Mines and Resources, with Hydro servicing it and collecting data, still feeds up to 50 kilowatts of electricity into the Hydro grid. It is now owned by the Department of National Def- ence. In 1985 Hydro decided to relin- quish its role and Walker, who had been assigned by Hydro to service the machine, jumped at the chance of taking a contract to maintain it. Located at Christopher Point, the most southerly point in Van- couver Island, the vertical axis wind turbine has logged more hours than any other wind turbine in North America. It is the only survivor of five of its type built around the world. Part of the reason for its survival is the interest that B.C. Hydro and Bill Walker took in maintaining it. “TI had taken some electronics and hydraulics courses before tak- ing on the job,” he said, “and they have both been useful in keeping the machine going.” The onginal machine contained a control unit which was constant- ly breaking down and required a lot of maintenance. Bill and Daf Indal Technologies designed and installed a new one. Daf Indal Technologies, an Ontario-based company, built the original ma- chine. “We haven't had any break- downs for the past five years,” he said. The unit’s generator is housed beneath the windmill or turbine which is 130 feet high and sup- ported by guy wires. When the wind averages 14 m.p.h. for five minutes the controls start a motor which takes the turbine up to 700 I.p.m. Between 700 and 1200 rp.m. the machine is in an idle position, neither producing nor consuming power. If wind speeds are at or above 14 m.p.h. the speed of 1200 rp.m. is reached almost immediately and feeds electricity into Hydro’s system. Today, with rising oil prices growing and fears of pollution caused by burning fossil fuels, the care Walker has lavished on the windmill may turn out to be well worthwhile. Located at Christopher Point,» the most southerly point on Van- couver Island, this windmill or vertical axis wind turbine has logged more hours than any other turbine in North America thanks to Bill Walker. Fridges Continued from Page C1 The contraflow system, he ex- plained, channels superheated gas- es up a central fire tube to a secondary combustion chamber at the top of the stove back down through channels in the sides of the stove and then out through a chimney flue at the base of the heater. “As the gases pass through the channels their heat is absorbed by the stone or masonry,” said Ran- nankari. “Once the bum is com- pleted, dampers in the chimney are shut and the stone or masonry mass gently radiates heat for the next 12 to 24 hours.” He heated his previous home of 2,300 square feet, which he owned for five years, with a masonry stove. In an average year he bummed one and a half cords of wood, costing less than $200. In the dead of winter he usually bummed two small fires per day. He now has a soapstone stove which has superior heat absorp- tion and retention qualities to ma- sonry and is physically more at- tractive. Soapstone, he said, stores and radiates two and a half times more heat than fireplace brick. Rannankani pointed out that un- like metal stoves, the surface of the masonry and soapstone stoves never becomes dangerously hot. “7 like to think of us entering a new kind of stone age,” said Rannankari, “one that is charac- terized by man using appropriate technologies to minimize his im- pact on the environment.” Rannankari has the construction and distribution rights in British Columbia for Tulikivi fireplaces and bake ovens. “My father and I have been building masonry stoves for the past 10 years,” said Ran- nankari, “but when we discovered. the advantages of soapstone over— masonry, we grabbed the opportu- nity for the Tulikivi rights.” The sale of soapstone stoves is really taking off in Europe said Rannankari, in part because of environmental and resource con- cems. “We're reaching the same level of concern about the use of re- sources here on Vancouver Island,” said Rannankani. “That's why I’m really optimistic about the future of these stoves.” The modern contraflow method which channels hot gasses through masonry was developed by a Fin, Wimanin, in the 1600's, but the thermal mass principle is ancient. “Early Scandinavian settlers channeled hot gasses from fires through stone or masonry to store heat,” said Rannankari. “Many primitive peoples make use of the heat-retaining qualities of stone, and early American pioneers built fireplaces of stone because of those qualities,” said Rannankari. { The soapstone for the stoves that Rannankaris sells and installs comes from a quarry in Schuyler, Virginia, which was purchased by Suomen Vuolukivi Oy (Finnish Soapstone Company) in 1986. The stone, touted as one of the finest types in the world, is exported to Europe as well as being used to meet demand for Tulikivi fireplac- es in North America. Prices of the stoves begin at @& about $4,000. RY WER SMAI POWER CONSERVATIO AND EVERY HOME SHOULD H EGINS AT HOME NEALIT BUTLERINIT Regular $259.00 SALE *249% , After $20.00 7 Mail in Rebate WR TAYMOR Regular $39.99 | MOTION SENSOR LIGHT SALE 24° Pee NOS F POLYURETHANE INSULATING FOAM SEALS CRACKS & CREVICES Regular $22.99 Save Energy Economise — delénergie | UFT SUDE SALE MAKE LOGSPLITTING — ALMOST A JOKE LIMIT ONE PER CUSTOMER # ll works anywhere, even in your carport or basement # No overhead swing required! # You work in an upright position eliminating a lot of back bending. FASTEST, SAFEST & EASIEST LOGSPLITTING "you have ever done” Regular Low PICO nSesccsnescensesee SALE SAVE $10 THEN PUSH DOWN: REPEATEDLY DIMMER SWITCH by Levitar Regular SALE $9.29 3h LIGHT TIMERS ALL BRANDS & TYPES 0% OFF Fiberglas PINK R12 R20 15x48 $258 15x48 ‘FIBERGLAS | CANADA inc | INSULATION SALE WATT MISER BULBS Regular $2.59 29" FLUORESCENT Pes Wel SMR SALE > 89 a Butler PRICES EFFECTIVE TILL DEC. 4 OR WHILE SUPPLIES LAST utler Brothers BUILDING CENTRE 2046 KEATING XRD 652-1121