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When it comes to wind turbines, bigger is generally better. While this doesn’t mean that a small rooftop turbine won’t reduce your electricity bills, the conditions needed for an efficient turbine are more specific than those for solar panels.
Below, you’ll learn what makes a wind turbine efficient and if a rooftop turbine is potentially worthwhile. By the end, you should be able to tell whether or not one makes sense for you.
Installing a rooftop small wind turbine makes sense if you can get the equipment high enough and out of the way of obstacles. Of course, living in a windy area also helps. Otherwise, the installation and maintenance costs might outweigh the savings due to a lack of sustained winds.
Getting free electricity through something like solar panels or wind turbines is exciting. Still, if installed under the wrong conditions, the equipment may not meet your expectations.
Wind turbines need sustained winds to be genuinely effective, and the wind isn’t always accessible in certain areas.
That said, a rooftop wind turbine might work for you if the following conditions are met:
If you live in a rural area with few trees or houses surrounding the property, a rooftop wind turbine will be more effective than if you live in a suburb of a big city.
Additionally, if your residence is in an area that makes connecting to a power grid difficult or expensive, wind turbines could be a good alternative, especially if they’re paired with a solar panel array.
Wind turbines perform best out in the open, where no barriers or obstacles affect the wind patterns. Given that, turbines in cities and towns tend to be less effective. A uniform wind in both speed and direction ensures that the turbine can maximize energy output.
If your home is in the middle of a neighborhood or surrounded by tall homes and trees, your turbine may struggle to capture enough wind to make it worth the money.
As noted, you’ll encounter many potential problems with a rooftop wind turbine. However, you may be able to save energy on your energy bill via these turbines (albeit not much).
Regardless, rooftop turbines probably won’t be enough to eliminate your electricity bill alone, but they’re likely to reduce it, if only by a little bit.
Rooftop wind turbine savings can be as low as $50 to $80 annually for turbines with a rated power of 1kW or less. You will save more with good wind conditions or a turbine with a higher-rated capacity.
Unfortunately, wind turbine size and weight typically increase along with the power ratings; eventually, they’ll get too big for your roof.
For example, with excellent wind conditions and a top tier system, you might see a 40-50% reduction in your bill, and the savings will be even more significant when paired with a solar panel system.
There are reasons solar panels are much more common on commercial and residential buildings in cities and suburbs.
While rooftop turbines are undoubtedly capable of generating electricity and reducing your energy bills, they also have the potential to be very impractical and ineffective. Usability will vary from property to property, but it’s essential to be aware of the potential issues.
Turbulent wind is bad news for a small wind turbine, and turbulence is typically high around buildings and at lower elevations.
Turbulence describes wind swirling about at inconsistent speeds and blowing from different directions. However, turbines are most efficient in areas where the current is constant and uniform, and in a residential setting, these winds typically exist well above your house.
Turbulence is bad for a couple of reasons, including:
To avoid turbulent winds, you must:
Naturally, the wind is stronger and more consistent at higher elevations, which is part of the reason turbines in wind farms are so massive.
People hear this and think the roof is the perfect spot, but many just aren’t high enough to access high-quality winds, especially true for homes in crowded areas or neighborhoods with tall trees.
Small wind turbines will inevitably move and produce vibrations as the wind blows, which is particularly problematic on a roof. The vibrations transfer to the structure to which the turbine is attached, and roofs are less stable than the ground.
This application puts unnecessary strain on the turbine and the house, and over time, you might wind up with higher maintenance costs in both areas. Vibrations might be worse in older homes as well.
As mentioned, turbulence intensifies vibrations, so this is something to consider for a rooftop where turbulence will likely be higher. The size of your turbine will also be a factor, and smaller wind turbines will produce fewer vibrations.
Small wind turbine noise isn’t something you typically think about right away, but it’s something that you’ll probably have to consider.
The problems associated with noise include:
Generally, a small wind turbine won’t be any louder than your home’s air conditioner, and in many cases, common neighborhood sounds and traffic may drown out the noise.
However, vibrations also increase the noise level; if your neighborhood is tranquil, the sounds might be noticeable.
In addition to noise, neighbors may not appreciate the appearance of a small wind turbine on your roof. They don’t exactly blend in, and depending on where you live, the unsightliness of the turbine may irritate some neighbors.
As the homeowner, the sight of the rooftop turbine is something you must also behold. Unlike solar panels, which lie flat and are parallel to the roof itself, a wind turbine sticks out like a sore thumb. If this bothers you, it may not be a good investment.
In some instances, local governing bodies may prevent or limit the installation of home wind turbines, even a small one that goes on top of the roof.
Reasons for this include:
Not every state specifically grants homeowners the right to produce their own energy; some places may even have laws to prevent it from happening.
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