Some people are motivated to go green by installing a wind turbine, regardless of the initial price. Most, however, want to reduce or eliminate their energy costs. The right wind turbine can provide many years of inexpensive, clean and reliable electricity.
There are several factors to consider when deciding if a WindTamer turbine is right for you.
- Government and utility incentives: Investigate local, state, federal, and utility incentives by going to the Database of Incentives. You may be surprised that often government incentives will pay for most of your turbine.
- Energy use and cost: Check your electric bills or ask your utility to determine how much you spend on electricity in a year. Use that number to help determine the payback period of a wind turbine. In areas where your electric costs are higher (about 10 to 15 cents per kilowatt-hour), your savings will be higher and the payback time for a unit will be years less.
- Net metering: Contact your utility to determine if you will receive a credit for selling energy back to it. This “net metering” is available at no cost, as mandated by law, in 34 states.
- Wind on your site: The Department of Energy measures wind power on a scale of 1 (weakest) to 7, and publishes a nationwide map of wind resources. The traditional thinking is if winds on a site are at least class 2 (annual wind speeds averaging 9.8-11.5 mph), wind generation may make economic sense. You can, however, have much different strength winds within the same property, and wind tunnels can be created to maximize the available wind.
- Zoning regulations: Research wind energy zoning regulations in your area. WindTamer turbines are well within height and noise regulations of most municipalities. Click here to read about the ease of planning and zoning for a WindTamer Turbine.
- Proximity to electrical service or batteries: Consider whether and where the turbine will connect to the power grid. Stand-alone systems require batteries to store excess power generated for use when the wind is calm, and batteries need to be located and stored properly. No batteries are needed for grid-connected systems.
- Installation site: You will want to decide between a stand-alone or rooftop installation. Rooftop mounting offers many advantages, including the opportunity to create wind tunnels.
An Arista representative can help measure the wind on your site and determine the best ways for harnessing wind. Request a Quote
