The first SLG wind turbine was installed in 1996 and has been operating
continuously at our test site in Spanish Fork, Utah for 5 years. This test
site, which is subject to extreme weather conditions, is located 55 miles
south of Salt Lake City at approximately 5,200 feet. The SLG has
experienced everything from hot dry summers (32-38 degrees C) to
extreme winters where temperatures have been recorded at -23 degrees C.
The site has received moderate to heavy amounts of snow and ice but the
SLG has shown no signs of ice accumulation.
The Spanish Fork test site not only sees good energy producing winds, it
also has its share of extreme wind conditions. When thunderstorms build in
the mountains, it is not uncommon to see winds gusting above 25 m/s.
These gusts can be associated with large wind direction changes as well. It
is common to have storm gusts in excess of 35 m/s that have caused the
SLG to be subject to the IEC extreme coherent gust conditions.
Hearsay suggested that these winds were the winds that continuously
damaged, and eventually caused the removal of the Jacobs test turbine
which were installed by the city of Spanish Fork. The SLG has not failed
for any reason in these high winds.