For the purpose of this subchapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
AGRICULTURAL TURBINE. Any turbine that is accessory to a permitted farm or agricultural operation, and is designed and built to serve the needs of the farm or agricultural operation.
ANEMOMETER. A device to record wind speed and direction.
AUTHORIZED FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE. An individual with technical training of a turbine who has received factory installation instructions and is certified in writing by the manufacturer of the turbine.
COMMERCIAL TURBINE. Any turbine that is designed and built to provide electricity to the electric utility’s power grid. Manual and automatic controls give protection to power grids and limit rotation of turbine blades to below the designed limits of the conversion system.
FACILITY ABANDONMENT. Out of production for a period of time not less than one year.
PRIVATE TURBINE. Any turbine that is accessory to a principal non-farm, non-agricultural use located on the same lot, and is designed and built to serve the needs of the principal use.
PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER. Any licensed engineer registered in the state.
SHADOW FLICKER. The moving shadow, created by the sun shining through the rotating blades of a wind turbine.
SWEPT AREA. Diameter of the blades x pi.
UPWIND TURBINE. A turbine having blades in front of the tower, positioned similar to a propeller driven airplane. This is the most common type of small turbines operating in the U.S. To keep it oriented into the wind, a yaw mechanism such as a tail is needed.
UTILITY SCALE WIND FARM. All wind farms that produce greater than 50 kilowatts of energy.
WIND ENERGY CONVERSION SYSTEM (TURBINE). Any device such as a wind charger, windmill or wind turbine that converts wind energy to a form of usable energy.
(Ord. 30.2, passed 9-10-2018)