Residential windmill powers house for $8,500
Southwest Windpower is offering the Skystream 3.7, a residential windmill for $8,500 which includes installation of a 35 foot tower, controller, inverter, and the generator. This is not intended as a full replacement for grid power, so there are no batteries and the controller automatically switches between wind and grid power at wind speeds below 8 MPH. Peak power efficiency is at around 20 MPH.
With a typical cost of $8,000 to $10,000 to purchase and install, Skystream 3.7 can pay for itself in 5 to 12 years. This payback period will vary and can be much quicker in states with investment rebates. It’s anticipated that Skystream 3.7 will save the average homeowner $500 to $800 per year, based on 4,800 to 6,600 kWh produced per year and a $0.12/kWh cost of electricity. This output would provide 40 to 90 percent of an average home’s energy needs. In states like Hawaii, where the cost of energy and wind speeds are both high, Skystream 3.7 can pay for itself in less than 4 years.
via Engadget
October 19th, 2006 at 9:43 am
this is not a real ofsite generation.such a site will require a storage facility and amazing little is being done about reseach into this.without this it is mainly windowsdressing as full external power will still be required.I have a eeling that efficiency of batteries or hydrogen generation is not tha hig
yours truly, heine andersen