Last week, we talked about using
solar power in your home to either totally power or at least assist in powering
your house. This week we’re going to continue talking about clean energy with
another method that gets a lot of pictures taken of it – wind power! You’ve
probably seen the Steel
Winds project on Lake Erie, near Lackawanna. It is one of the largest urban
wind developments in the world, producing enough power for about 6,000 average
American homes. Read on for information about your own wind power project!
Small
wind turbines are electric generators that use wind (obviously) to produce
clean, emissions-free power. You can cut your energy bills and help protect the
environment. The small turbines, unlike the large ones at the Steel Winds
project, can be suitable for properties as small as one acre in most areas of the
country. On average, a typical American home would require a small turbine with
a 5 kilowatt generating capacity to meet all its electricity needs. The
diameter of this turbine is about 18 feet. The exact size needed to power a
home can range from 2 kW to 10 kW, depending on your home’s energy use, average
wind speeds, and the turbine’s height above ground (which affects its
productivity). Just like with solar, if you’re still connected to the grid and
you don’t have wind, you won’t notice a difference. Off grid turbines can store
power in batteries for on-demand use and are sometimes complemented by solar
electric panels.
The
turbines are an average height of about 80 ft., or twice the height of a
telephone pole. They can range anywhere from 30-140 feet in height. The
purchase and installation of one of these systems to completely power your home
costs, on average, $30,000 but the price can range from $10,000 to $70,000
depending on the size, height, and installation expenses. If you wanted a small
(less than one kW) turbine, they generally cost $4,000-9,000. New York State
does offer a couple tax incentives for this and solar energy, among other
options. The full information can be found here
and here.
The average payback period of the equipment, which again depends on your unique
situation, but can take anywhere from six to thirty years.
Helpful Links
http://www.windenergyamerica.com/faqs.html - An amazing resource!
