Can I Make My Own Wind Turbine?

After some rough times over the last year there are many people starting to get ahead. The stabilizing of fuel costs has helped, but the threats of the effects of carbon trading and spiraling cost of coal fired electricity seems to hang over everybody. I've been doing my homework and decided that there are some options for me.

This research has shown me two basic approaches, utilise solar panels or the power of the wind using a turbine.

The technology now is advanced enough so that either of these (or both together) are now viable for home use. Neither will get you off the grid, but a panel of solar collectors and a small turbine can generate enough energy to make it a very worthwhile investment.

Buying a turbine isn't usually the best option since the price is rather high, especially if you have to then get it professionally installed. If you go down that route it will take longer to save enough on your bills to get that money back.

However, it is easy to access plans and build your own turbine at a fraction of that cost.You don't need any special skills or tools and all the parts can be found in any hardware store or on ebay. 

For those who build their own turbine they often recoup their investment in just a few months.  If they bought theirs it would take several years, on average.

One turbine will generate about 5 times the electricity as one solar panel.  Wind turbines can run day or night (as long as there is wind) whereas solar panels will only produce electricity during day light hours (as long as it's sunny).

So, after the research I've done I have come to the conclusion that taking the time to build my own wind turbine and get a couple of solar panels covers me best.  It'll be nice knowing that I have some control over my utility costs from now on.