| I have always considered myself an environmental | | | | power?" they would say. It was a fun project. It |
| enthusiast. I recycle, I drive a car that gets good gas | | | | taught the kids about how wind powered electricity |
| mileage, and I plant trees for arbor day. Not Captain | | | | works, and it was something I could work on when I |
| Planet by any means but I am always looking for little | | | | had the time. Now it works great at I really had a |
| things to do to help out. One day I was doing some | | | | feeling of achievement when it was done. A |
| research online about how much electricity my family | | | | residential wind turbine typically lowers your electricity |
| uses and discovered these things called Residential | | | | bill by 50 to 90 percent. Most wind turbine owners |
| Wind Turbines. | | | | with total-electric homes to have monthly utility bills |
| I knew what wind mills were. I also knew that there | | | | of only $8 to $15 for nine months of the year. Are |
| were big industrial wind generators in the dessert | | | | the eco-friendly? You Bet! |
| that generated electricity, but I never really thought | | | | Wind turbines produce no pollution and by using wind |
| about how I could use a Residential Wind Turbine at | | | | power you will be offsetting pollution that would |
| my own house. My first thought was "how to build a | | | | have been generated by your utility company. Over |
| residential wind turbine"? As I looked more closely at | | | | its life, a small residential wind turbine can offset |
| these homemade wind turbines I realized that one | | | | approximately 1.2 tons of air pollutants and 200 tons |
| wasn't that hard to build. I had the tools in my | | | | of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide and other gases |
| garage and I found some very reasonably priced | | | | which cause climate change). I did have some |
| plans from the internet. So I thought I would give it a | | | | concern that the Electric Company may not allow me |
| shot. I found the parts for my homemade residential | | | | to hook a homemade wind turbine up but than I |
| wind turbine at local stores and went to work. | | | | discovered federal regulations (specifically, the Public |
| It was a little intimidating at first since I was going to | | | | Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978, or PURPA) |
| try and build it myself, but right off the bat my | | | | REQUIRE utilities to connect with and PURCHASE |
| WHOLE family wanted to be involved. Also, as the | | | | power from small (less than 80 MW) wind energy |
| project developed the more people I told the more | | | | systems. I hope that you all look into this a little |
| people wanted to come over and check it out. "How | | | | further. There are so many positives you would be |
| are you going to make my own electricity from wind | | | | foolish not to. |