2.3b Wind Turbines

Feature	Late night TV host Jay Leno (above right) installed a PacWind Delta II turbine (far right) on the roof of his “Green Garage.”
Function	According to the NAHB Research Center: Small wind turbines, mounted on towers between 80 and 120 feet tall, can generate electricity from the wind for home use. With on-site installations documented in at least 47 states, wind is a recognized renewable energy source for distributed generation of power on residential home sites
Facts	According to the NAHB Research Center: The amount of power generated by a wind turbine depends on the capacity of the turbine (rated in kilowatts, or kW) and the wind speed. Manufacturers will provide a power curve which shows the turbine’s output (in watts) at given wind speeds. For a typical home that uses 9,400 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year, a unit rated at between 5 and 15 kW will meet most of the home’s electricity needs.  According to the U.S. Dept. of Energy: Small wind electric systems are one of the most cost-effective home-based renewable energy systems. These systems are also nonpolluting. If a small wind electric system is right for a home, it can do the following: • Lower home electricity bills by 50% to 90% • Help buyers avoid the high costs of having utility power lines extended to a remote location • Help uninterruptible power supplies ride through extended utility outages. Small wind electric systems can also be used for a variety of other applications, including water pumping on farms and ranches.
Limitations	According to the NAHB Research Center: Due to their height, wind turbines are best suited for remote or low-density residential lots of one acre or more. Developments that have adopted restrictive covenants may not allow wind turbines to be erected.
Costs	According to the NAHB Research Center: Initial costs can run between $40,000 and $50,000 for a 10-kW system, or a simple payback of approximately 21 years without factoring in tax or other incentives that may be available. In an area in which utility costs are $0.10 per kWh, the average system will save up to $200 per month if the utility company credits the wind turbine’s excess capacity similarly to the charge for electricity.
Links	Evaluating a possible small wind turbine site (U.S. DOE) How a small wind electric system works (U.S. DOE)
Tax Credits	Federal tax credit incentives for small wind turbines Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency
Example	(Photo: Sierra Club Green Home)