Is Wind Right for Me?
"At SolarTaos.com we have been living and running our woodshop with clean,
reliable electric made by the sun and Wind
for over Two decades and we love it and we know you will too!"

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Southwest Windpower is the world’s largest producer of small wind turbines. You can find them used on everything from remote cabins to sailboats and other applications including utility connected homes.

According to the U.S. Census, more than 17 million homes in America are located on land that is appropriate for a small wind system. Could your home be one?

IS WIND RIGHT FOR ME? – There are four important factors to consider using wind as an energy source for your house.

1. DO I HAVE A GOOD SITE? Siting a wind generator is extremely important to the performance of the machine. It is the difference between a machine that give you lots of energy and a garden sculpture. The ideal location for a wind turbine is 20 feet above any surrounding object within a 250 foot radius. This generally means your property should be at least one acre in size.

2. DO I HAVE THE RIGHT WIND RESOURCE? Wind is the “fuel” for your wind generator. You should have at least a 9 MPH average wind speed at your location. Wind maps are available for many countries and US states which will give you an idea of the wind resource at your house. Check out these maps and see if you have the right wind resource. You should live in a “Class One” or better site.

If you cannot find your wind resource on the map, there are other ways.

• Contact your the closest weather station, TV or radio station. Wind patterns can change over short distances. We don’t recommend airports as they are generally located in places with the lowest potential wind.

• If you have trees in your area, use the Griggs-Putnam Energy Index  This looks at a tree and how the wind changes its shape.

If you still don’t know the wind resource, locate a Southwest Windpower Dealer in your area that can help you with a wind resource assessment.

3. WHAT ARE MY LOCAL LAWS: The next step is to determine if you have any local laws from a Home Owner’s Association or City or County that prohibit the use of towers.

You should research:

• If you have a Home Owner’s Association read the guidelines relating to towers or tall structures.

• Contact your local County Planning and Zoning authority and ask about the use of towers and tall structures. Remember, the tower must be 20 feet above any surrounding object, if it is not, then performance will be lower.

4. WHAT INCENTIVES AND PROGRAMS DOES MY UTILITY OFFER? By law, the local utility (company you pay your electrical bill to) must purchase any excess electricity from you. There are both utilities that encourage the use of wind systems and discourage it. Locate your electrical bill and then find the number for customer service. Ask them for a copy of the policy relating to “connecting a renewable energy system to the electrical grid”.

Finally – the best news of all. Many States in the union offer various types of tax incentives and even rebates for your wind system.

Congratulations! If you have made it this far then it is likely that a small wind system can save you a lot on your monthly electrical expense. Next is to contact your local installer for an appointment.

 If you experience any problems on this site, please help us out by e-mailing us as to what kind of problem you may have experienced.  Please let us know on what pages the problem occurred.

OUR POLICY ABOUT YOUR ORDER
Prices have been unsteady, since the Iraq War and in most cases we have been able to absorb the difference. 
Should there be a  price increase, you will be notified before we ship so you can make a decision as to keep the purchase or not. 
Once we receive your additional payment, we will fulfill your order. 
Should you decide that you do not want to keep the purchase, you will need to let us know via eMail.

When making a  purchase from this site, shipping  charges are normally included when placing your order.. 
On some large items such as appliances, batteries, etc. the shipping and possibly crating fees may be extra.  These items are noted by an * at the end of the Part Number. 
In such case, you will be notified of the extra charges, which need to be paid prior to shipping. 

ALL WARRANTIES ARE PROVIDED BY THE PRODUCT MANUFACTURERS, WE DO NOT ISSUE THE WARRANTIES.

This Web Site is Maintained by Taos Artist, Terry Wolff - Artes del Lobo
Last up-dated on 10 December 2008