America's 1st Wind Turbine in Grandpa's Knob, Vermont

[Chuck]

It generated 1,250-kW between 1941 and 1946 before one of it's blades snapped - a qualified success.

Don Wickman - RUTLANDHERALD - Nov 4, 2004

See video of the turbine here --Ed.

Straddling the border of Castleton and West Rutland stands the tree-covered height identified as Grandpa's Knob. Atop its 1,976-foot summit is a sole radio tower where during the summer months, daring hang gliders leap from the elevation to catch the rising thermals.

However, 50 years ago, the view was quite different. The knob's slopes lay bare and silhouetted against the sky stand two steel-framed structures. One featured substantial movement — two large metal blades whirling in the wind and generating wind energy into electric energy. What operated on Grandpa's Knob was Vermont's first — no, let's correct that point: the nation's first attempt at generating electricity from the wind. Modern technology decided to improve upon an idea that was centuries old.... [Read More]

[phoebeisis]

800,000 watts or about 1000 watt hrs per hour for 800 homes-500watt hrs per hour for 1600 homes.

This would average out to 360 KWHrs per month- or about $40/month. I'm guessing most of the houses didn't use 500 watts all the time, or even average that much-maybe they used 100 KWHrs a month or less back then.

Anyone have any idea how much electric energy an average urban house used in 1943?? Very few had ACs or electric heaters, zero TVs but tube radios might use 100 watts?? Light bulbs were probably about it back them.

Shame it didn't work out-cheap coal killed it I guess.

Isn't there a mountain in the NE-Mt Washington-with staggeringly high winds- in NH ??

Of well-interesting stuff-thanks
Charlie