{"id":4541,"date":"2009-06-08T14:26:07","date_gmt":"2009-06-08T20:26:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wordpress-367309-1145705.cloudwaysapps.com\/?p=4541"},"modified":"2009-06-08T14:26:07","modified_gmt":"2009-06-08T20:26:07","slug":"home-wind-energy-will-it-survive-your-own-cost-benefit-analysis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sustainablog.org\/articles\/home-wind-energy-will-it-survive-your-own-cost-benefit-analysis\/","title":{"rendered":"Home Wind Energy: Will it Survive Your Own Cost-Benefit Analysis?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"wind<\/a>Thinking about installing a wind energy system<\/a>, but not sure if the payback period on your investment meets your financial needs?<\/strong> I began thinking about this question last week when our old friend (and my real old friend) bobbyb sent me an article<\/a> about a couple who’d installed a wind turbine at their home in Great Britain. He noted that the numbers provided in the article (a \u00a320,000 initial outlay for \u00a3500\/year energy savings) didn’t make financial sense: “That’s a forty-year payback period!”<\/p>\n

He’s right… that kind of cost-benefit analysis doesn’t really work. If you’re going to put up tens of thousands of dollars for a wind system (or a solar energy system<\/a>), you probably want to see a return on that investment in years, rather than in decades. I got so interested in the topic that I wrote a post about things you should consider before putting your money down on a renewable energy system<\/a> at SUNfiltered. Wind energy systems have their own requirements, so here are a few of the things you’ll want to take into consideration.<\/p>\n

Will wind energy work on my property?<\/h3>\n

As with any renewable resource, some areas are better than others for home wind energy. Some of the questions you’ll need answers for include<\/p>\n

[social_buttons]<\/p>\n

Am I located in an area with ample wind resources?<\/strong> Just as solar will be a better deal in the Southwest than the Northwest, certain parts of the country have better wind resources. As you can see on the US Department of Energy’s Wind Resource Maps<\/a>, the central corridor and offshore locations have the best wind availability; the Southeast generally has the worst. You can also use tools like 3Tier’s FirstLook<\/a>, or Renewable Solutions’ Modern Energy Plan<\/a> to find specific information on wind resources for your property.<\/p>\n

Is my property suited to harvesting wind? <\/strong>In order to adequately harvest wind, you have to be able to build a tall tower that will rise above treelines and buildings surrounding your property. I’d guess that’s why the turbine built by the British family above wasn’t generating significant energy savings: it was only 40 ft. tall. According to the Mick Sagrillo, an expert who answers small wind harvesting questions on the American Wind Energy Association’s web site<\/a>,<\/p>\n

Installing your wind system on a tower shorter than the area\u2019s tree line, or, worse yet, on top of your roof, is akin to floating in a sheltered cove of a river: you may occasionally bob a bit but there will be little forward progress. There is simply little energy in low winds that you can convert into usable electricity. Do you want kinetic yard art or a wind electric generator?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

If building a tower with sufficient height isn’t an option, you probably want to consider investing your money in something other than a wind system.<\/p>\n

Are there financial incentives and options available for wind energy?<\/h3>\n

Wind systems are expensive, so unless you’re sitting on a pile of money burning a hole in your pocket, you’ll likely want to check into incentives and financing options. These can include:<\/p>\n