Green Products Wind Power: Renewable Electrical Power
Green Products has found that one of the “emerging” technologies that has finally stabilized and become reliable is windmills or wind power. I say “reliable” because the early developmental windmills had a great many problems and were not ready for mass production. In fact, some of the early designs were maintenance headaches.
Modern designs and new lighter, stronger materials have come together to produce windmills that will last for many years without costly repairs. In fact, most of the major producers are offering five-year manufacturer’s guarantees.
The concept has been refined with a device called a net meter. The net meter takes a combination of inputs — one set from the power company and the other from your windmill. When the electricity is combined at the meter this will determine which way the meter will rotate.
The net meter is an interesting device in its own right. About 35 states use an electric meter that records usage in both directions. When rotating clockwise it records the electricity you use. When the same meter is running counter-clockwise it is reducing your electric bill. Some call it an electrical bank. It’s almost like pumping water into a water tower where it is stored to be used at a later date.
The risks are mostly financial. The main areas of concern are: not enough wind and possible equipment failure. In both cases, the propeller is not turning and no power is generated. Unlike solar though, the wind can theoretically be blowing 24 hours a day, and every minute the propeller is turning means more in the electrical bank.
One of the nice offsets is the rebates and tax credits you will get for installing a unit. In some cases, $11,000 or more is paid to you to offset the cost of the windmill. In California, this could bring the cost of install down to around 4,600 dollars.
Before you jump in and get your feet wet, check with the local contractor that will be doing the install. He will do a site evaluation to determine if the unit can be installed and whether it falls within your city’s code standards and guidelines.
In our next article from Green Products, let’s see what it would take to get completely off the electrical grid. Is it possible?
Michael