2 Responses

1. It’s harder than it sounds. They can be noisy, they irritate some neighbors, they only produce energy when there’s wind, so unless you stay connected to the grid you’ll need battery banks. If you want to “sell” electricity back to your utility, you need a phase converter. But if you really want to try, good luck.

   I would consult “Real Goods”. Just Google them. They can sell you what you need without paying useless money to a website to teach you what you can get for free.

2. One of the answers links to Earth4Energy which is a scam. See http://www.nlcpr.com/Deceptions6.php for an expose. Also have a look at http://www.nlcpr.com/vertmill.php

   The best book out there is Homebrew Windpower from http://www.otherpower.com . Wind generators with the capacity to generate enough power for a house are complex and expensive. You are looking at a couple of thousand dollars and they need a tower to get them above the trees and buildings, inverter, charge controller, cables, batteries etc..

   You biggest problem is “I want to save money”. If you are on the grid and can purchase power for 10 cents a kWh, then you are not going to save money. If you are off grid and have to pay the power company to install additional power poles to reach your property, then it might be a bargain.

   My advice is to order the Homebrew Windpower book. It is not only educational and full of references, but is has the detailed instructions to build a quality wind turbine. Even if you decide that is not for you, it is a worthwhile education and it will immunize you from scams. Your real savings are likely to be found in conservation — using less hot water, upgrading old appliances and heating systems etc.

   Hope this helps.