By Union of Concerned Scientists
June 2008
Read this issue of Greentips online

As the price of fossil fuels—and the environmental impact associated with them—continues to increase, more homeowners have become interested in generating their own, cleaner electricity. One option is wind power; the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) estimates that a small residential wind turbine can, over the course of its life, prevent the generation of approximately 1.2 tons of smog-forming pollution and 200 tons of global warming pollution from conventional power plants. And depending on its size, a small wind system (which typically generates 5 to 10 kilowatts under optimal conditions) can lower the average home’s electricity costs 50 to 90 percent.

Consider the following factors to determine whether a wind system is right for you:

Siting. Most residential wind systems require an acre or more of open property and a minimum average wind speed of 10 miles per hour (see the related links for state wind speed maps). To get the maximum benefit, the turbine should be sited upwind of any buildings and trees, and the tips of the turbine’s blades should be at least 30 feet higher (at the lowest point of their arc) than any trees or structures within 300 feet. Local zoning ordinances may impose height restrictions on certain structures.

Connecting to the grid (or not).

• Intertied (or grid-tied) systems are connected to the electrical grid, allowing you to feed energy you don’t need into the grid. In most states, your utility will pay you for this excess electricity. Intertied systems also give you the option of drawing power from the grid if your wind system is not generating enough; however, in the event of a power outage on the grid you won’t have backup power.
• Interfaced systems are also connected to the grid, but the excess energy is stored in batteries. This gives you the security of backup power, but requires you to deal with the operation, maintenance, and eventual disposal of the batteries.
• Off-grid systems are best for remote locations and homeowners who want to be completely self-sufficient. Since you will not be able to tap into the grid, make sure the system is sized to meet your maximum electricity needs.

Cost. While residential wind power systems are about 50 percent less expensive to install (on a per-kilowatt basis) than solar photovoltaic panels, the upfront costs are still high: about $3,000 to $5,000 per kilowatt, including installation, according to AWEA.

To reduce the upfront costs, first make your home as energy-efficient as possible so you can purchase a smaller system, then take advantage of state and utility incentives on renewable energy systems (see the related links). An energy-efficient home will also reduce the amount of time it takes for your wind energy system to pay for itself in the form of lower electricity costs.

Related Links

American Wind Energy Association—Small Wind

U.S. Department of Energy—Small Wind Electric Systems

U.S. Department of Energy—Wind Resource Maps

Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency

Tags: Wind power

This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 18th, 2008 at 11:11 pm and is filed under Alternative Energies, Alternative Solutions, Current Events. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.