How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint By Installing Home Wind Turbines

Installing small wind turbines at your home can significantly reduce your carbon footprint by generating clean, renewable electricity. Here is a comprehensive guide on how to get started with home wind power.

What are Home Wind Turbines?

Home wind turbines, also known as small wind systems, are wind turbines designed for residential, farm, and small business applications (as opposed to large commercial wind farms). They typically have power ratings from 400 watts to 100 kilowatts.

There are two main types of home wind turbines:

Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines

• Have blades that spin perpendicular to the wind like airplane propellers.
• Are more commonly used for residential applications.
• Examples include Bergey, Southwest Windpower, and Endurance wind turbines.

Vertical Axis Wind Turbines

• Have blades arranged vertically that spin parallel to the wind.
• Are less frequently used in homes.
• Examples include urban green energy and quiet revolution turbines.

Both types offer quiet, clean energy generation at the residential level.

How Do Home Wind Turbines Reduce Carbon Footprint?

Home wind turbines reduce your carbon footprint in two key ways:

1. They generate clean electricity right at your home. This avoids greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel electricity production at centralized power plants.

2. The clean energy produced can offset your home's electricity consumption from the grid. Each kilowatt-hour generated by your turbine displaces a kilowatt-hour from the grid.

According to the EPA, one 5 kilowatt turbine running at full capacity avoids over 10 tons of CO2 emissions per year. Installing a wind turbine is one of the most impactful steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint.

What Factors Determine System Size?

When selecting a wind turbine, you'll need to consider:

• Your electricity consumption needs
• Your available wind resource
• Physical dimensions of your property

As a general guideline:

• A 5 kW turbine can generate 6,000 to 12,000 kWh annually given decent wind. This covers electrical needs of a large home or small business.
• 1-3 kW turbines are more common for standard homes. You may need multiple smaller turbines to meet electricity demand.
• The turbine should be installed at least 30 feet above any obstruction within 300 feet. More height is better.

Work with a wind energy professional to analyze your local wind speeds, property layout, and energy profile to select the right turbine size.

Top Brands to Consider

Here are some of the top manufacturers of home wind turbines to consider:

• Bergey WindPower - The most popular residential wind turbine in the US. Well-engineered products made in the USA. Models range from 1kW to 10kW.

• Urban Green Energy - Make smaller vertical axis turbines that can be installed on rooftops and urban areas. Great for constrained spaces.

• Southwest Windpower - One of the oldest and most reliable small turbine manufacturers. Models range from 400 Watts to 20 kW.

• Endurance Wind Power - Known for lightweight, durable wind turbines. Acquired by Northern Power Systems.

Be sure to purchase your turbine from a reputable manufacturer who provides local installation and maintenance support. Ask about warranty coverage and expect a system life of 20-30 years.

Key Steps for Installation

Installing a home wind turbine is a significant project that requires careful planning and execution. Here are the key steps involved:

1. Site assessment - Analyze wind speeds, directions, clearance requirements, zoning issues, and utility interconnection options at your location.

2. Select turbine model - Choose an appropriate size turbine from a reputable company based on your site and energy needs.

3. Handle permitting - Acquire necessary building/zoning permits for the wind turbine installation.

4. Configure electrical interconnection - Connect the turbine to your home's electrical panel or grid tie inverter.

5. Physical installation - Transport the turbine to your site and install the tower/foundation, wiring, inverter, and other components.

6. Commissioning - Have the wind turbine commissioned by technicians to ensure proper operation.

7. Ongoing maintenance - Perform periodic maintenance and tune-ups to maximize performance and lifespan.

Work closely with your installer to handle these complex steps. Take advantage of financial incentives like the federal ITC to reduce costs.

Real World Examples

To see home wind power in action, here are some real world installation examples:

• John S. in Vermont installed an 11 kW Bergey wind turbine on his 200 acre farm. It generates 24,000 kWh annually which covers most of his farm's electrical usage and yields an annual revenue of $3,600 through net metering.

• The Schwartz family in Minnesota installed a 5 kW Southwest Windpower turbine at their lake home. It offsets about 80% of their annual electricity usage with clean wind power.

• Green Energy Futures has a 1 kW urban green energy turbine on their headquarters roof in Alberta, Canada. Although small, it generates 1,000 kWh of emissions-free electricity annually.

• Rancho Caymus Inn, a California bed & breakfast, installed a grid-tied 10 kW Southwest turbine. It generates surplus electricity which is sold back to the utility at a profit through a Power Purchase Agreement.

With proper siting and system sizing, residential wind turbines can eliminate a majority of your home's carbon footprint from electricity use.

In Conclusion

Installing small wind turbines is one of the most impactful steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint. Home wind generation displaces fossil fuel electricity and gives you energy independence. With an appropriate system size and professional installation, modern home wind turbines can eliminate tons of annual CO2 emissions quietly and reliably. Use this guide's tips to successfully tap into wind energy from your own backyard.