Sanilac Solar & Wind

Our founder, Mike started building alternative energy systems in the 1970s, when it was still considered weird. He started with axle flux wind turbines made from scratch. These turbines are used for off grid use, generating electricity for cabins, or any place that can’t get power from the grid. Turbines like these are still being built in third-world countries where they are used to power hospitals, clinics, and many other small applications. In the 1990s Mike made his own panels to charge battery packs. He made many of these arrays for cabins. They worked well for small off-the-grid situations, sometimes with the assistance of small wind turbines. In the 1980s Mike started building hydronic systems because he had a four-foot swimming pool he needed to heat and could not afford the propane. Because hydronic systems use the sun to heat water, he decided to use the sun’s energy as a natural way to heat the pool, at a zero cost. Today he heats all his domestic hot water with the sun and he always has more than 150 gallons of hot water ready to use.  From March through October Mike’s water averages about 130 degrees. From November to the end of February the days are shorter and there isn't as much sun, so an on-demand Electric water heater is used as a booster. But even in December, the hydronically heated water is never below 100 degrees, so Mike only needs to use his electric to increase the heat 20 degrees, and that does not cost him because he uses solar to produce his electricity.  Even today, Mike still helps many people with how to build their own off-the-grid applications, such as using an axle flux turbine for electric fences, water pumps, and camps. But now Sanilac Solar & Wind can sell solar & wind energy systems on a large scale.

Products

 Sanilac Solar & Wind carries most of the major brands of renewable energy products, including solar photovoltaic, made-in- many countries China, Germany and the USA. Inverters from SMA America and PV Powered, micro-inverters from Enphase, and wind turbines from Bergey and Southwest Windpower. We can also help with client-specific needs for sun tunnels solar lighting, and the favorite of our hobbyist customer, the home-brew Axle Flux wind turbine (a turbine you can build yourself a turbine up to 1.5 kw), or with Hydronic evacuated tubes for water heating applications.