Residential Wind Power Is On The Rise
Traditionally, residential wind power has been limited to remote areas of the world where connection to the power grid is not an option, but more and more consumers are choosing to purchase what are called “grid-connected” turbines to power their homes. The eco-friendly nature and the abundance of this energy resource makes wind power an attractive option for reducing electricity costs in the United States and around the world.
On December 13, 2007, The New York Times ran an article casting small wind in a very positive light. In the article: Homespun Electricity, From the Wind, writer Kristina Shevory profiled a number of success stories. One explained how Rena Wilson Jones and her husband took advantage of the high winds blowing through their property near Urbana, Illinois by erecting a 56-foot wind turbine. It was spinning by early September, and their electricity bills dropped sharply, from $90 to $10 for November, one of the windier months.
The article also went into some detail about the growth of the industry in recent years and the reasons for it before touching on some of the hurdles that have yet to be overcome.
A more recent edition of The New York Times provides an update on residential wind power. The article: Technology Smooths The Way For Home-Wind Turbines outlines the progress being made and the contributing factors. One key reason being cited is that the newer turbines can connect directly into the power grid. This eliminates the need for batteries as a backup power source, since homes can take power from the grid when wind speeds drop below optimal levels.
From the article:
“Back in the early days, off-grid electrical generation was pursued mostly by hippies and rednecks, usually in isolated, rural areas,” said Joe Schwartz, editor of Home Power magazine. “Now, it’s a lot more mainstream.”
“The big shift happened in the last three years,” Mr. Schwartz said, because of technology that makes it possible to feed electricity back to the grid, the commercial power system fed by large utilities. “These new systems use the utility for back up power, removing the need for big, expensive battery backup systems.”
I guess the verdict is still out, but it appears as though residential wind power is heading toward the mainstream.
For more information, see: Residential Wind Power Getting Some Positive Buzz.
3 years ago • 0 notes