Wind Turbines - Pros and Cons

With any purchases you make, especially the expensive ones, it's important to carefully weigh all the facts before you make a decision. Deciding if you should invest in wind turbines for your home is such a decision.

There is a lot of evidence to suggest that harnessing the power of the wind is a great way to generate electricity for next to nothing. The current trend is to downsize this technology for domestic use and installing smaller, home sized units to help cut their utility bills.

If you are looking for ways to cut costs and have wondered if this is the right approach for you, here are some points to take into consideration;

PROS

1. Wind power is free to use (after the expense of the turbine). It will always be around, you don't have to worry about running out of it, though some days there will be more wind than others.

2. There is no pollution associated with converting the energy of wind into electricity, and it does not produce any CO2 emissions.

3. You can easily build your own home sized turbine for less than $300 in just a couple of days. The parts are easy to get, most can be purchased at your local hardware store.

4. Advances in technology have improved the way the energy is converted to electricity as well as the way it's stored. Technology is continuing to advance and the conversion and storage capabilities will only continue to get better.

5. In some areas it is now possible to sell the excess electricity you produce back to the Utility company grid which will further reduce your bill.


CONS

1. If you decide you can't build it yourself, a wind turbine is very expensive to buy.

2. If you buy a wind turbine already assembled, it will take you a long time to recoup your investment. The alternative is to build one yourself.

3. One turbine won't be enough to generate all the electricity your home will need to run your appliances on a daily basis.

4. Some areas do not have enough windy days to make it worth it. So you will need to check this out before you purchase one or build your own.

I hope this short list outlining the pros and cons of building your own wind turbine has made things a little clearer for you. Now that you've taken this first step, learn all you can about wind turbines and other green sources of alternative energy.

Wind Power Will Cut Energy Bills Year Round Plus 5 Other Easy Steps

No matter where you live it seems that energy bills only ever go up! Against this backdrop I'd like to suggest that there is hope. Not many of us can afford to get the new doors and windows to keep out the heat or the cold, or to purchase new state of the art energy efficient heating and cooling systems. But there are still some easy and cheap things you can do right now to cut your energy bills.

Here are a few:

1. One of the biggest bangs for your buck is to turn off things that are not in use. Computers, mobile phone chargers, TVs, DVDs and stereos make up about 10% of your energy. They are using energy even when they are not operating, so get into the habit of turning them off at the power point.

2. In the lighting department, turn off lights when you leave a room and replace traditional light bulbs with energy efficient compact fluorescent globes and you might be surprised by how much you save.

3. Get insulated curtains and blinds, which will help to keep the warmth in in winter and the heat out in summer. The trick is to learn to remember to open and close them at the right times!

4. The bathroom is also an easy place to save energy. One third of all carbon pollution from energy use at home is from electric hot water. Cutting your shower time and adding a more efficient shower head will make a significant difference.

5. In the laundry you can save energy by washing in cold water rather than hot water and dry them on a line rather than using a tumble dryer.

6. It is even possible to save money in the kitchen by getting rid of that second fridge, and make sure that the seals on your fridge are not leaking out cold air. New fridge seals are not expensive but most people just never think to check them.Another idea is to make sure that the fridge is placed in a cool area which has good circulation around it, because this will help it run better and reduce the energy demand.

Some authorities suggest that by adopting new habits, such as those listed above, can lower your electricity bill dramatically, but the only way to really beat the system is to get into the energy production game. The best way to do that is to begin using wind power from a home wind powered generator, and get a solar powered hot water service which could lower your power bill by as much as 80%.

So, instead of whinging about high energy costs, take control and cut energy bills now. Use one, or all, of these simple energy saving tips and you will not only be able to be more comfortable, you will save money and reduce your carbon footprint which has got to be better for everyone.