CanWEA: SmallWind: On- or Off-Grid: Practicality

Below is a comparison of on- and off-grid small wind systems configurations, applications and practicality so you can determine which is more suitable for your needs.

Typical Configuration
Typical on-grid small wind turbine configuration with a permanent magnet alternator and synchronous inverter: Source: Iowa Energy Center Wind Energy Manual Typical off-grid small wind turbine configuration with battery storage but without supplemental or backup energy systems: Source: NRCan, Stand-Alone Wind Energy Systems: A Buyer’s Guide
On-Grid	Off-Grid
Applications
See Turbine Sizes & Applications	See Turbine Sizes & Applications
Practical if
You have an average annual wind speed of at least 3 m/s at your site The utility's requirements for connecting your system to its grid are not prohibitively expensive	You have an average annual wind speed of at least 3 m/s at your site A grid connection is not available or can only be made through an expensive extension. The cost of running a power line to a remote site to connect with the utility grid can be prohibitive (up to $30,000 per kilometer), depending on terrain. You would like to gain energy independence from the grid