Once upon a time I would agree with that summation, but after working with them with my regulators, I'm not so sure.
They develop quite high current at quite low rpm.... typically 800 or so rpm will still keep up 5-10A into a 12v battery in low state of charge ( 11-12v), and thats a small one.
I think it just has not been done well previously. All attempts I have witnessed so far have not been done as I would do it. I think in a decent wind regime they would actually shine. Folks trying to get something in winds less than 12mph or so will be better with the axial flux units, but in 13 mph upwards, I think the humble stock car alternator ( minus the regulator, but with the three little diodes for the regulator supply left in tact ) would be found to be very competitive, and completely controllable..... something we cant do with perm magnet devices without buck and boost converters.
For folks without electronic design experience it will end in tears though....
............oztules
PS, if I had my stuff in a journal ( hint ), I think there is a story on alternator chargers, and possibly a regulator circuit that could be altered for this purpose. I think it is on this site.
EDIT: Yes it is on this site.... for those wanting a fairly detailed look at car alts, then
here:
http://www.anotherpower.com/board/index.php/topic,492.0.html and here:
http://www.anotherpower.com/board/index.php/topic,500.0.htmlAnd it looks like wolv is the only person to have read it too.
I suggest Dan read it as well.
That regulator is ok for human load matching with the volume control, but not for a windmill. I would probably start out with a TL494 and use the two op amps built in and the dead time control to effect an analogue mppt.. perhaps beat the frequency against the current in the two op amps ( different gains) and the dead time to soften the hysterisis... no ... I havent thought this through really, but I would start with this and see what happened.