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The residential wind generator idea is gaining popularity worldwide, as living in this day and age has become quite expensive, with even the basic necessities becoming too costly to acquire. One of these necessities is our need for electricity. With fuel prices going up, everyone is looking for ways to economize their expenses to be able to afford electric bills.

Many are choosing to either buy or build their own wind turbines, but are having some doubts and concerns. So here are some pieces of information that may be able to help satisfy the information needs of most people when thinking of getting a wind turbine.

- This device is usually installed above a high tower where it can gather kinetic energy from the wind’s motion and convert it into electricity through a generator.

- Normally, a home that has installed a wind turbine is constantly served by the turbine itself and by their local utility. If the wind speed doesn’t fall into the cut-in rate, which is 7-10 mph, electricity would then be supplied by the electric utility.

- The basic rule of wind turbines is that “as the wind increases, output for the turbine also increases while the current supplied by the utility is lowered.

- If there is excess electricity collected, it is automatically sold back to the utility, because residential wind generators normally have no battery packs.

- Small wind turbines could in fact lower power bills by 50 to 80 percent. The amount of money it can save depends upon the consumption of electricity, the average wind speed on site, and other factors.

- A residential wind generator is rather large and may not be suitable for urban or small-lot housings, as wind systems are sensitive to the speed of the wind within the area it is situated.

- Wind turbines are pollution-free, and a small type can actually offset nearly 1.2 tons of air pollutants and tons of greenhouse gases that cause global warming.

- A typical wind turbine system makes less noise than the average washing machine, and it also does not interfere with the television’s reception in spite of what others think, as their blades are made from wood, plastic, and fiberglass.

- Upon installing the turbine, there is no need to rewire the appliances in a home since wind turbines are retrofitted to any home without altering the wiring or appliances.

- With regard to towers, tall towers are necessary to stop any hindrances that could prevent it from freely gathering wind energy. The most economical type of tower would be the guyed lattice tower, while a hinged tower can be easier to install and maintain. Most small turbines are not high maintenance, since they have very few moving parts, and can operate and last up to 20 years.

A residential wind generator can be a good investment, although the return through your power bill savings would only be visible after 6 months to 15 years. Another advantage is that a well-working turbine would increase in property value.

Windmills are just the beginning. To learn more about wind and solar energy, read Advantages and Disadvantages of Wind Energy or if you are thinking of building your own residential wind generator, see our Earth4Energy Review.

Tags: alternate energy sources, alternative electricity, alternative energy, alternative energy solutions, energy, Green Living, wind energy, wind generator, wind generators, wind power, wind turbine, wind turbines