Gallery: Xzeres gears up for new Oregon wind incentive

Small wind turbines such as those made by Wilsonville-based Xzeres are smaller than the turbines used in utility-scale wind farms. Each turbine has three blades.

Xzeres' Chis Bush attaches the turbine body. Minimal moving parts are designed to cut down on maintenance needs.

Xzeres employee Jeff Munro attaches a protective plate to the turbine mechanism. Energy Trust of Oregon's new small wind system incentive will reward owners of highly efficient wind turbines.

Xzeres' main domestic markets include New York, which has a strong incentive for small wind turbine installation, and Oregon, which just adopted new incentives that mirror those in New York.

This turbine is destined for the United Kingdom, which is Xzeres' strongest overseas market. Russ Woolsey, Xzeres director of marketing, said Japan's overhaul of its energy mix is also providing fertile ground for small wind.

Crating up before the turbine is shipped to a customer in the U.K. where feed-in tariffs have driven demand for small wind.

This Xzeres turbine produces power for Rick Bedard, a retired Army officer who lives in Silverton. With incentives, Bedard figures he's looking at a seven-year payback on the initial $92,000 investment.

Bedard's turbine sits atop a 140-foot tower to take advantage of sustained winds. His neighbors took him to court over the tower, but Bedard prevailed. "We're just trying to do the right thing," he said.

Energy Trust of Oregon's Chris Dearth wants to see the organization's new incentive structures give rise to more small wind turbines across Oregon.