| By :
Roger Brown
Before you get too far afield in considering the cost of wind power, it is wise to consider several key points that will drive you to a better decision. These are things that when you look at them will be very determinative regarding the price that you end up paying for the device. Take a look at these three items carefully before you begin and you will be a lot better position to get the best price: 1. The first thing you need to work on is understanding the particular wind on your property. As we all know, wind is different almost everywhere we go. The wind you will find on your roof is much different than the wind you will find in other places around your property. The reason for that is the way wind is created - it is basically a factor of rising air currents resulting from uneven heating of the ground during the day. That's why we don't get much wind at night. But, the bottom line is you need take the time and collect data around your property in order to come up with the best place to put up the wind turbine. That can be done with an anemometer (and a little patience) to collect some data at several places that you consider likely for placing your turbine. That, combined with seasonal information about how those averages might change from when you collected the data, would give you the information you need in order to at least put the device in the right place. 2. What limitations are there about where you can put your wind turbine on your property? This is a question that you must ask your local municipal government. They will tell you if there is a permit required and what that permit says must be done. In many cases all that's required is filling the permit form and paying a fee. In other cases there are height limitations and setback requirements from your neighbor's property line. 3. Possibly the most important question is -what do you want to do with the power you make? There are of course a lot of options here but most people start with just charging a bank of batteries. The reason for that is the batteries can be depleted to power almost any appliance or device around the house. You can of course also power your entire house or, even export power to the electric grid. The problem with that though is now were talking about a lot larger wind turbine to accomplish that. And, more sophisticated electronics to tie in with the electric grid or with the AC current in your house. The cost of wind power does not have to be that difficult to figure out. But, you need to take your time upfront and make sure that all the bases have been covered, so that your project goes smoothly.
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