subject: Windmills Electricity... Is It the Answer? [print this page] For centuries mankind has harvested the wind to drive ships, mills and pumps, so it is not surprising in this time of concern about global warming that people are looking closely at windmills electricity (i.e. electricity generated by wind turbines) as a means of reducing their carbon footprint.
The greater proportion of the world's electricity is generated by utilities burning fossil fuels and disgorging massive amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere daily. Ordinary folk are well aware of this and of the danger that it poses to our planet, and it is perfectly understandable that they begin to cast around for alternatives that are sustainable and environmentally friendly.
One such alternative is windmills electricity -- the electricity is generated by wind power turbines, both large and small.
This article is concerned with the small turbines that are designed to produce power for domestic use. Commercial examples of these very greatly in output and the least expensive cost thousands of dollars; whilst those that are large enough to supply all the power required for the average home, would cost tens of thousands of dollars. This means that the average homeowner would probably be looking at 10 or 20 years before reaching the breakeven point where the cost of the installation of a wind turbine would be repaid by the savings in electricity.
However there is a second alternative and that is for householders to build their own wind turbine generators. At first glance this may appear to be an unlikely scenario, but the fact is that many thousands of DIY turbine generators have been built throughout the world at a cost, not of thousands of dollars each, but hundreds of dollars -- and they are perfectly safe, effective and efficient.
The upshot of this of course, is that some or all of an average home's electricity bill can realistically be eliminated and the cost of doing so recovered in less than 10 years. An added bonus is that if more power is produced by will required by the home the surplus can be sold back to the power company, thus providing an additional source of income.
It must be said that wind turbines don't fit every situation, but for people living in a fairly open position in districts that are favored with medium to strong winds, their value cannot possibly be overlooked without rigorous enquiry.
The Internet is a very good source of information about domestic wind turbines and there are some quite good guides dealing with DIY wind turbines. They are well worth the attention of anyone who is interested in wind turbine power generators.
