There is no perfect system and wind turbine kits are not exempt from that maxim. Although they can be a great way to defray costs, they do have their downsides. Like anything else, there are upsides and downsides.
Not to be a total downer, here are the upsides:
Cut costs - not nearly as expensive as buying a fully ready to go turbine. This is because you are doing the assembly and usually the installation yourself. Shipping costs in to you are also less because the parts are in modular form and not in their final put together form.
Learn about wind science - working through and installing the kit forces you to get familiar with how they work. This is a straightforward area of physics and it is fascinating to learn and be able to manipulate the output you get by making small adjustments.
Take control of your energy destiny - it will be much easier to build additional windmills to reduce even further the power you buy from your utility once you have had a hand in building one.
This is a skill set that can pay off for you for years to come. Now, the downsides need to be considered too in your analysis:
They can take some time to build - if you don't have much time this is not the way to go. You will need to reserve some weekend hours to make this project happen.
They require special equipment to lift them and mount them - some weigh in excess of 200 pounds and will require a mechanical lift to move something that large. You need to have it finished as a matter of fact, pretty close to where it is going to end up.
If you aren't skilled with electrical systems, you will likely need some help - this can be add some cost because electricians are not inexpensive. Even if you have some level of expertise in this area, what you need to know to do a grid tie in is utility specific knowledge. That means that you will likely need help from a pro who works with the utility on similar projects on a regular basis. In conclusion, there are pluses and minuses to starting to go green with wind turbine kits. You just need to carefully inventory the good and the bad and decide how they apply to your personal situation.
Not to be a total downer, here are the upsides:
Cut costs - not nearly as expensive as buying a fully ready to go turbine. This is because you are doing the assembly and usually the installation yourself. Shipping costs in to you are also less because the parts are in modular form and not in their final put together form.
Learn about wind science - working through and installing the kit forces you to get familiar with how they work. This is a straightforward area of physics and it is fascinating to learn and be able to manipulate the output you get by making small adjustments.
Take control of your energy destiny - it will be much easier to build additional windmills to reduce even further the power you buy from your utility once you have had a hand in building one.
This is a skill set that can pay off for you for years to come. Now, the downsides need to be considered too in your analysis:
They can take some time to build - if you don't have much time this is not the way to go. You will need to reserve some weekend hours to make this project happen.
They require special equipment to lift them and mount them - some weigh in excess of 200 pounds and will require a mechanical lift to move something that large. You need to have it finished as a matter of fact, pretty close to where it is going to end up.
If you aren't skilled with electrical systems, you will likely need some help - this can be add some cost because electricians are not inexpensive. Even if you have some level of expertise in this area, what you need to know to do a grid tie in is utility specific knowledge. That means that you will likely need help from a pro who works with the utility on similar projects on a regular basis. In conclusion, there are pluses and minuses to starting to go green with wind turbine kits. You just need to carefully inventory the good and the bad and decide how they apply to your personal situation.
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