Luxury Housing Trends & Home Improvement Ideas

If you’re tired of being tied to the grid, or just like the idea of saving some money down the road (when energy prices could be higher) by investing in an alternative energy source today, you could look into wind turbines. They can be an option in parts of the country where solar may not work as well. Windmills have been providing energy for ages, and modern technology is making turbines more efficient than ever. They’re even something you can look into if you live in the city or suburbs.

U.S. wind maps show the strongest and most dependable gusts are in the middle states, off the coasts, and near mountains. It takes 8-mph winds to kick an average turbine into gear and 15 mph for it to generate electricity. You can get residential wind turbines capable of generating 1 kW to 10 kW.  A 10-kW unit can completely power an average home during good wind conditions, and it might even make extra to sell back to the grid.

Wind Turbine Cost

According to Harnessing the Wind, an article over at Custom Home Magazine, “Most residential systems cost $15,000 to $20,000 installed, say turbine dealers. But the figure is dramatically reduced by federal tax credits, as well as state rebates and tax credits, low-interest loans, and utility incentives.”