Will it help the environment if I install a wind turbine at my home? Residential wind turbines have been installed in at least 47 of the 50 states, but the majority of the units have been installed in the Northeast and the Midwest.ĥ. As a general rule of thumb, if economics is a concern, a turbine owner should have at least a ten mph average wind speed and be paying at least 10 cents/kWh for electricity. The economics of a wind system are very sensitive to the average wind speed in the area, and to a lesser extent, the cost of purchasing electricity. Except for very small wind turbines (i.e., with rotors one meter or less in diameter) on very small towers, a property size of one acre or more is desirable. Who should consider buying a wind turbine?Ī residential wind turbine can be a relatively large device and is not suitable for urban or small-lot suburban homes. Depending upon the average wind speed in the area, a wind turbine rated in the range of 5 to 15 kilowatts would be required to make a significant contribution to meet this demand.Ĥ. Homes use approximately 9,400 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity per year (about 780 kWh per month). What size turbine would I need for my home? The amount of money a small wind turbine saves you, in the long run, will depend upon its cost, the amount of electricity you use, the average wind speed at your site, and other factors.ģ. In northern parts of the country where less air conditioning is used the bills can be very low year-round. It is not uncommon for wind turbine owners with total-electric homes to have monthly utility bills of only $8 to $15 for nine months of the year. The wind turbine typically lowers your electricity bill by 50 to 90 percent. Small wind systems for remote applications operate somewhat differently.Ģ. There are no batteries in a modern residential wind system.
When the turbine produces more power than the house needs, the extra electricity is sold to the utility. As wind speeds increase, turbine output increases and the amount of power purchased from the utility is proportionately decreased. If the wind speeds are below cut-in speed (7-10 mph) there will be no output from the turbine and all of the needed power is purchased from the utility. In a standard residential application, a home is served simultaneously by the wind turbine and a local utility.
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