Written by The most recent year in North America may have a lot of people believing that “global warming” is not a problem, but the fact is that the evidence of global climate change is overwhelming. Human activities are causing rapid melting of polar ice, increasing temperatures, and weird weather almost everywhere.
You may feel that there is nothing much that you can do as and individual?” But, there are a lot of things you can do. Installing a small wind turbine to generate some of your own electricity is a feasible project for many do-it-yourselfers. A small wind turbine not only reduces your carbon footprint, but it allows you to save money on your electricity bills for years to come.
As the economy begins to emerge from the recession, the prices we pay for electricity are more likely to rise than to fall in the future. It’s suprising that more people aren’t using turbines to generate electricity for their homes. There is an initial investment in the equipment and your time, but after that the energy produced is free as well as green. Wind is the ultimate renewable resource.
Home wind turbines are not the enormous monstrosities you may have seen elsewhere. Home wind turbines are small enough that they won’t be unsightly to neighbors but they still can help you save money on your utility bill. It’s always a good idea to check your neighborhood covenant agreements and your local zoning rules to be positive that a home wind turbine is allowed in your area.
If you choose to build a larger wind generator, or have several smaller ones on your property, you may be producing more electricity than you can use. Any electricity that you don’t use can be “saved” in batteries and used later on a day when it is not windy. Any excess electricity that you generate can be sold to your utility company, and they can send you a check instead!
If you have a basic grasp of electricity and are good with tools, building your own wind turbine can be easy and inexpensive. There are several inexpensive and easy do-it-yourself home energy manuals available online that will walk you through the whole process from start to finish. You could recoup the small investment in the manual in just a few months once you get your system up and running.
Building your own power system has many advantages. You will not be as exposed to power outages as the rest of your neighborhood, and you will save money on your utility bills. Besides those obvious benefits, you will also have the satisfaction of knowing that you are helping the environment at the same time you are providing for your own independence.
