Wind Power as a Viable Alternative Energy Source
Almost every home is hooked into the local electric company’s grid and that is a lot less expensive initially than to set up and hook into wind turbines. In the long run though utilizing the wind for your energy needs will save you money. It also allows you to become more independent of the big electric companies.
While electric bills and fuel bills are constantly rising, the cost of installing and hooking up a turbine is steadily coming down as demand rises. The cost of wind turbines is decreasing because the various companies producing the turbines are enjoying more commercial success and their research is making the turbines more and more efficient. People are motivated to get away from the traditional energy sources and turn to wind power for their energy for several reasons.
- The cost of energy generated by a wind turbine is zero.
- For personal reasons including desire for greater independence.
- The desire to live remotely or rurally without having to “go primitive”.
- Political concerns such as fears of terrorist strikes on oil fields or power grids,
- Concerns about the environment.
As people move in this direction it gives more businesses opportunities to profit from wind turbine production and maintenance, which drives their costs down for the consumers.
In more than half the states and many of the provinces in Canada at this time, homeowners who remain on the grid but who also choose to use alternative forms of energy are eligible for rebates or tax breaks from their governments. These breaks and rebates can end up paying for as much as 50% of their total “green” energy systems’ costs. In addition, there are as many or more states and provinces that allow these homeowners to sell their excess energy back to the power company under what are called “net metering laws”. The rates that they are being paid by the local power companies for this energy are standard retail rates. This means that the homeowners are actually profiting from their own energy production.
A push is on to get the federal governments to mandate these breaks and incentives in all states and provinces. Japan and Germany already have national incentive programs in place. However, many times these laws are handled regionally by state or provincial law which makes them a little more difficult to implement. There is also some resistance from power companies who feel that it’s unfair that they should have to pay retail rates to private individuals. They think they should only have to pay the wholesale rate for this electricity. However, the companies seem to be more worried about losing short term profits than about the benefits, especially in the long run, of the increased use of wind turbines or wind farms which is really quality power that strengthens the grid.
Having a reduced electric bill or none at all while enjoying the advantages of the modern lifestyle is a really great feeling.
Alternative Energy for Your Home
The trend toward more and more homes being powered by alternative energy sources is one that needs to continue into the 21st century and beyond. These alternative energy sources for our homes range from wind turbines and solar collection cells to hydrogen fuel cells and biomass gases. There is a great need for us to become energy independent from unstable nations that supply us with fossil fuels. Beyond that we each need to be less reliant on fossil fuels and the giant oil corporations who have a stranglehold on us when it comes to heating our homes.
Carbon Free is a group that has been studying the growing trend toward alternative energy use in homes in North America and England. A Senior Analyst there says that inevitably the growth of alternative energy sources will lead to the restructuring of the retail electricity market and its generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure. Power providers may have to diversify their business to make up for revenues lost through household energy generation.
These changes are being driven by the fact that the government is backing alternative energy research and development. They are also being driven by the rising cost of oil and other fossil fuels, concern for the environment, and the desire to be energy independent. It is believed that meeting all the energy needs of your home by installing alternative energy technology such as solar panels or wind turbines will be revolutionary to the homeowner. It has been compared to the changes the Internet has had on home communications and data gathering. People have concluded that, assuming traditional energy prices remain at their current level or rise, this kind of alternative energy generation will have deep effects on the existing energy supply companies.
Energy companies themselves are jumping in on the game and are seeking to leverage these home generation alternatives to their own advantage. They are looking for ways of opening up new markets for themselves. It is reported that electricity companies in the UK are seriously researching and developing ideas for new geothermal energy facilities. 
(Geothermal energy comes from the heat within the earth and people around the world are using it to heat their homes and other buildings as well as heat water and produce electricity.) These companies see geothermal energy production as a highly profitable wave of the future. Geothermal power is cost effective, reliable, sustainable, and environmentally friendly.
Another conclusion of this group has been that solar energy hot water heating technology is an efficient technology for reducing home water heating costs. Although it is initially fairly expensive to install in the long run it pays off. However, solar hot water heating is not yet cost-effective for corporations, as they require too much specialized plumbing to implement solar energy hot water heating.
Lastly, we are told that installing wind turbines is an efficient way of reducing home electricity costs. However, again initially it is a fairly expensive thing to have installed, but the prices are coming down.
The above are a very few of the alternative sources of energy available out there. The technology used to harness the power of renewable energy sources such as solar energy, wind power, geothermal power and biomass has advanced considerably in recent years. All of these options for alternative energy are now more economically viable than ever before.
It’s a great time to start making the switch.