Get yourself used to something called the “National Electrical Code” so that you can understand the legal mumbo jumbo of electric installation.
Or better yet consult a local electric professional who is no doubt familiar with the process, and let them help steer you along. An electric permit, just like a building permit is for your own safety, so make sure that you get one before you begin any electrical installation.
Conditional Use Permit
Just as it might sound, a conditional use permit is an additional permit given to ensure conditional use of a property for construction projects. If later on in the year for example, you foresee yourself adding on to the work that you initially constructed with your building permit, you may want to invest in a conditional use permit. These permits are meant t augment any exiting permits and permissions that you may already have.
Talk to Your Utilities
Even if you aren’t connecting your turbine to the local power grid, you should still probably consult with the utility powers that be in your area. Admittedly, these guys have a monopoly on energy and you don’t want to have one of them casting a suspicious eye on your own energy production.
And if you are planning on hooking your turbine up to the grid after all, its better sooner or later that you open up dialogue with the utility company directly.
There may be some release forms for you to fill out, and talking to them helps to streamline the process. By speaking to your utility company you can also learn how you can possibly sell excess energy you’ve produced right back to the electric company! Yes, its true, some utility companies will purchase energy that you produce, you just have to talk to them first!
Your number one contact at the utility company will most likely be someone referred to as a “designated manager” for renewable energy. These guys specialize in stuff like wind power and how it relates to the utility company, so they are definitely worth giving a try.
Network with Your Neighbors
More often than not, if we just tell our neighbors what we are up to in the first place, we will all be better off.
That way when you put up your tower you won’t have your neighbors calling your HOA to say that you just installed a ballistic missile next door! Just communicate to your neighbors openly and clearly whenever you get the chance, and let them know what you are doing so their imaginations don’t start running wild.
Networking with your neighbors could bring unknown benefits as well. Just think of your neighbors as potential colleagues and collaborators in the process. They may very well get excited by your idea, and you may even start a trend and inspire others on your block to follow suite. You never know, so network with your neighbors.
Chapter 4: Micro Wind Turbine Pros and Cons
Micro Wind Turbines, like everything else in this world, have both their positives and their negatives. There would be no point in glossing over the positive or negative aspect of the wind turbine, so in this chapter we are going to explore both. So let’s take a nice long and sober look at all of the micro wind turbine pros and cons.
Inexpensive Installation
It doesn’t cost that much to install your own micro wind turbine, this is true. The information presented in this guide has demonstrated this reality.
On a shoestring budget, with just basic supplies such as PVC pipe, tape, and a few other odds and ends you can have a really nice micro wind turbine without having to spend much money at all. The labor is free if you do it yourself and most of the parts you probably already have in the back of your garage somewhere, so all in all, you really can’t beat it!
Save Money on Your Utility Bill
Saving money on those outrageous electric and heating bills can no doubt be a big motivator for most of us to set out in our wind turbine adventure. And according to the latest statistics, you could easily cut your electric bill in half after just one year’s use of micro wind turbines. Half of your bill goes out the window from your first year of wind harvesting.
This is only the beginning however because if you keep at it, you can eventually reduce your bill down to zero. And it doesn’t stop there, if you partner with your local utility company you can even send some of those energy savings back to them and generate real revenue of energy saving profits!
Many are shocked to learn that the utility companies pay top dollar for wind energy, but its true, even the grid based providers see an incredible money saving future with the power of wind energy.
You Can’t Depend on the Wind
Ok, I hate to be a bummer here, but although we have so far sung the praises of micro wind turbines, there are some definite cons involved that you should be aware of. And one of the most glaring is the fact that you can’t always depend on the wind to be there. Wind by its very nature is unpredictable.
This is a simple statement, and really it should seem like a no brainer, but yes, wind activity greatly ebbs and flows, and during some seasons you might find yourself in a veritable wind drought.
Wind itself can’t be bottled up and stored in containers, the best you can do is bottle up your accumulated energy produced in a deep cycle battery. But really, this should be good enough.
Because even though wind does ebb and flow throughout the year and its intensity and durability depends on the area you live in, you can compensate for this by storing up additional batteries of energy when the wind is good. The wind itself is unpredictable, but if you plan ahead, you can mitigate the challenges that this fact presents.
Turbines Are Dangerous for Birds
Birds do occasionally get hurt from turbines. The turbine is a tall spinning structure, and sooner or later a bird will collide with them.
There is no way getting around this fact. But as bad as it might be to step outside and find a decapitated or otherwise disfigured bird, these incidents are few and far between. Recent studies have concluded that even the largest wind farms only kill a few birds on average.
It’s not hundreds, its not even dozens, its just two or three birds a year who accidently wander into the blades. The death of any bird is said, but the figures show that it is extraordinarily rare.
And besides the rarity of actually collision, there are many things that can be done to minimize the potential for damage even further. Many new features on turbines offer up some great safeguards to help prevent the incidence of bird collision. As it stands right now, birds face much more grave danger from oil spills and extraction of coal than they could ever face from wind turbines.
Wind Power Helps the Economy
Back on the positive side of the spectrum, there I much of the way in good news when it comes to the things that wind can do for the general economy. The market for renewable resources such as wind power is helping to jumpstart economies all over the globe.
The revenue from the saved money that otherwise would have been spent on fossil fuels is tremendous. So leave those fossils in the ground where they belong and use wind power to grow the economy! When it comes to wind turbines a bit of magic and money is in the air!
Property Value Could Take a Hit
But although the general economy may be improved, there is some concern that personal property value could take a hit. There is truth in the fact that wind turbines can make your home lose value. They are considered a noisy eyesore in many communities, so don’t be too surprised if your property value does go down if you place a micro wind turbine in your yard.
You might want t have a sit down discussion with your HOA, or at least a local realtor in order to figure out just what you might be up against. There could be no effect on your property value at all, but it’s always much better to ask and find out, than to be surprised later on. So give your realtor a call!
Wind Turbines Promote Tech
Another great thing about wind turbines is the fact that it helps you to promote high technology. These turbines have many interchangeable features and when you link them up to inverters, generators and GPS systems, you will have your
self a very high tech device. For a device that utilizes something as basic and primal as the wind, it certainly does take advantage of and promotes a lot of great technology.
Conclusion: Just a Little Wind bit of Wind
It is truly amazing how something that we can’t even see, the wind, could yield so much power. But ever since the first day that I became interested and involved with wind energy systems, I knew that I was on to something good.
To be able t utilize what mother nature provides for us for free, and then turn it into a net benefit for myself and family has been very satisfying. With just a little bit of wind I’ve managed to change my whole life. Now let’s get out there and see what a little bit of wind power can do for you! Thank you for reading this guide!
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