Domestic Wind Turbine

Sustainability. Living green. Low carbon footprint. These are terms bandied about daily in the news as we humans are becoming more aware of our environmental impact. More people are becoming interested in helping the cause of passing on a clean, enjoyable life to their children, and are actively looking for ways to lower personal energy consumption. So how can you help? One viable option consumers are finding to live greener is by installing a domestic wind turbine on their house or property.

This electricity produced is then used in lieu of power from the grid, in some systems is stored in batteries during peak production, or can even be sold back to the power company if excess is generated. Windmills in general have been around for thousands of years. Historically, grinding grain and pumping water were the most common uses-generating electricity to power the needs of the modern world is something relatively new (within the last 100 years) and the costs are reflected in the systems.

Pricing of wind turbines is based on their rated power output: smaller models producing 1kW cost generally upwards of $1000, larger systems producing 6kW cost around $25,000. As with all relatively new technologies, pricing is expected to drop in the next few years as demand increases and advances are made in engineering and manufacturing. A small turbine mounted on your home could reasonably expected to contribute 30% of a home's daily usage, but many factors influence this ratio: size of the turbine, how much energy your house uses, and varying wind speeds all influence the true savings generated.

These same factors also impact the return on investment of the product. Common estimates range from 7-15 years for a turbine to pay for itself, and for some models this estimate is as high as 28 years. Domestic wind turbines are part of a family of small scale technologies including photovoltaic solar panels, hot water solar panels, and ground source heat pumps that are known as microgeneration technologies. These technologies are being promoted by governments around the world and are even being included in planning of future environmental regulations. Leaders of the microgeneration industry are calling on their respective governments to set targets for consumers contributing to sustainable energy.

Sustainable technologies stand to grow exponentially in the next 10 years, as consumers and policymakers alike see the benefits to society at large, and make changes to ensure a healthy world for future generations. Domestic wind turbines are one way for concerned individuals to take steps to reduce their carbon footprint, without a high start up cost or complex installations. It seems as the green trend marches on, that people are reverting to practices once discarded for more "modern" technology. Examples that come to mind are geothermal heating and cooling (sod houses), using local products, and turbines (windmills). These were ways of life in times bygone when people had to make do with less, but are now coming back with a modern twist and being touted as new, emerging technologies.