I want to harness the wind for power

[twilliard]

Ok well I live in an area that gets more than a breeze all year. Actually an average 14MPH wind.

I have been looking into a 20kWh wind turbine. I consume 32000 kWh a year.

Has any one looked into this before? Know of any down falls?

Todd

 

[danno14]

Permitting may be an issue.... neighbors are sometimes not the most accepting.....any bird lovers around? Some think that they are notorious for killing 'em. Prolly not near as many as cats get, but can still get folks riled up. Is that 20k kwh per year or per month? Is it setup for grid-tied or battery? How spendy is it? I have looked at a "whisper", which: "The Whisper can produce 100kWh per month for your batteries assuming 12MPH average wind speed"
That equates to 12k kwh per year, and runs $1900 delivered but not installed. MAke certain you evaluate the Federal tax credit as well as any production credits you may qualify for from your PUD. Oh yeah.... keep me informed as to what you do
Thx, D

 

[BCT182]

So would this be hooked up in a way that when the wind is blowing you use your own energy and when the wind is calm you use the power company's energy? What about when you create more than you use, can you get a credit?

pretty neat stuff for sure.

 

[twilliard]

The one I am looking at is the Jacobs 20kWh grid-tie turbine. For the package deal $53,000 not installed. I have to go so big because I use 10 times more than the average home 46,000 kWh a year at 14Mph winds. BCT yes any power you make extra from what you use comes to you as a credit on your next power bill.
I live out in the country so neighbors are not an issue.

 

[danno14]

Without knowing your cost per kwh it's hard to figure your ROI. Have you calculated it out, and what is it? HAve you checked the dsire (sp.) website for rebates?

I am looking at my controllable costs as it pertains to power as well- chiller in the summer may be avoided via better control of solar gain on the house (this is HUGE for me). I am looking to install an active cooling system (closed loop in the lake with heat exchangers).

As many have accurately stated- energy not used is the cheapest and easiest to achieve.

 

[twilliard]

Ya I have checked for all rebates. So far It looks like the only one I can grab is the no sales tax if made in WA. LOL good luck there, let me know if you know of a turbine made right here in WA LOL
My cost per kWh is 9.7c
My ROI ia aprx. 10 years. I have read about this stuff till my brain hurt.
I am not worried about the cost but what I don't get is why there are NONE around here?
That is why I posted this thread. Is there maintenance issues, problems, drawbacks to these.
I would ask people around here but no one has one standing.

 

[danno14]

There is morein the say of rebate! Go here: http://www.dsireusa.org/ there are production rebates and the $2000 tax credit at the very least. WA is not as pogressive as CA or HI when it comes to this.....sorry- for the both of us!

 

[DonW]

I just talked to TPU about this yesterday. They told me if I could generate as much as I consume, I would still be required to pay the basic customer charge of $100 per billing cycle. They will buy back any extra up to the $100 but nothing more. They will also only pay .05 cents per.

So even if I could produce 100% of my consumption my bill would still be $100 every two months + $6 just to mail it to me. On top of that they would raise my water rate since I consumed no electricity, supposedly we get a discount if we use power. This is a rip off, sure would be nice if the feds could or would step in and make it right. Seems the more we do to save power the higher the price goes. I'm starting to to think that all this conservation is just cutting into the profits so the price keeps going up to pad their wallets.

Don

 

[Scooterman]

Drill a water well Don
Well that may not be so practical, I grew up on well water, only catch would be sewer, I guess they will get their share out of you regardless, unless maybe you dig an outhouse or a sewage processing unit!

 

[DonW]

Drill a water well Don
Well that may not be so practical, I grew up on well water, only catch would be sewer, I guess they will get their share out of you regardless, unless maybe you dig an outhouse or a sewage processing unit!

Thats a whole other racket in itself. I have a perfectly good septic tank. They came in and forced everyone to tear up there yards and connect to the sewer. Pay the 10k or they steal your property.

Don

 

[twilliard]

Wow Don they got ya