According to the U.S. Census, more than 17 million homes in America are located on land that is appropriate for a small wind system. Could your home be one?
IS WIND RIGHT FOR ME? – There are four important factors to consider using wind as an energy source for your house.
DO I HAVE A GOOD SITE? Siting a wind generator is extremely important to the performance of the machine. It is the difference between a machine that give you lots of energy and a garden sculpture. The ideal location for a wind turbine is 20’ above any surrounding object within a 250 foot radius. This generally means your property should be at least ˝ acre or larger in size.
2.DO I HAVE THE RIGHT WIND RESOURCE? Wind is the “fuel” for your wind generator. You should have at least a 9 MPH average wind speed at your location.. There are several wind maps for most States which will give you an idea of the wind resource at your house. Some states have even more accurate interactive windmaps. Check out these maps and see if you have the right wind resource. You should live in a “Class One” or better site.
If you cannot find your wind resource on the map, there are other ways.
Contact the closest weather, TV or radio station and ask them for an idea of the average wind in their area. Wind patterns can change over short distances. We don’t recommend airports as they are generally located in places with the lowest potential wind.
If you have trees in your area, use the Griggs Putnum Wind energy index. This looks at a tree and how the wind changes its shape to determine your wind speed.
If you still don’t know the wind resource, contact Advanced Energy Systems and we can help you with a wind resource assessment.
3. WHAT ARE MY LOCAL LAWS? The next step is to determine if you have any local laws a Home Owner’s Association, City or County that prohibit the use of towers.
You should research:
If you have a Home Owner’s Association read the guidelines relating to towers or tall structures.
Contact your local County or City Planning and Zoning authority and ask about the use of towers and tall structures. Remember, the tower must be 20 feet above any surrounding object, if it is not, then performance will be lower.
4. WHAT DOES MY UTILITY COMPANY REQUIRE? By law, the local utility (company you pay your electrical bill to) must purchase any excess electricity from you. There are both utilities that encourage the use of wind systems but also discourage it. Locate your electric bill and then find the number for customer service. Ask them for a copy of the policy relating to “connecting a renewable energy system to the electrical grid”
CASH INCENTIVES!!!
Finally – the best news of all. Many States offer various types of
the link www.dsireusa.org to see what incentive programs your state offers for a
small wind system.
Congratulations! If you have made it this far and everything looks great then it is likely a small wind system can save you a lot on your monthly electrical expense. Next is to contact Advanced Energy Systems Development for more details.
Call Advanced Energy Systems Development at 617 775-1720 or email us using the form below to set up a free initial consultation to get you started on the road to energy independence.
