The Answer, My Friend...

© Diogo Martin

A singular wind turban harnesses what comes its way.

Five thousand years ago, our Egyptian forefathers and mothers harnessed the wind and invented sailing. One hundred and thirty years ago, wind powered pumps allowed for the irrigation and cultivation of the western states. Today, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, wind is "one of the fastest growing utility-scale energy resources in the nation." And there are a lot of very good things about wind power. It's clean, renewable and local. Here's the latest on where it stands and how you can harness some wind of your own.

What is Wind?

Wind is solar energy in that it is a direct descendant and a result of solar power. The sun heats the earth, unevenly, and that difference in temperature creates wind. Temperatures differ greater between air and water so, generally, there's more wind near the coasts. Hills can also increase wind velocity as it's funneled towards the peak like air through a building's breezeway.

What's Good About Wind Power?

As long as we have a sun, we'll have wind. That means for the next few billion years or so, wind will be a sustainable and renewable source of energy. No dangerous emissions, pollutants or chemicals are produced to make wind or to convert it to electricity. To do so, all one needs is a wind turbine that acts like a ceiling fan in reverse. A fan uses electricity to create wind and a windmill uses wind to create electricity. All one needs, to put it simply, is a few enormous blades to catch the wind, a gearbox to change the spinning ratio and a generator to spin, and therefore make electricity.

Since wind turbines require nothing more than wind and maintenance to feed our appliances, they are ideal for remote dwellings and stand alone abodes. There is no need to rely on the "grid" for power. With hurricane season upon us, blizzard season around the corner and earthquake season always, the "grid" is vulnerable and a self-reliant source of energy makes nothing but sense.

What's Bad About Wind Power?

Although the price of wind power equipment continues to decline, the upfront costs are high with a long payback period.

Aesthetics also play a leading role in the fight against wind power. Some find a 500' turbine with whizzing 200' blades obtrusive. The sculptural reminder of energy consumption combined with a tarnished view from the back porch weigh heavy for those in the debate.

Large windmills also pose a threat to flying birds. Although current technology greatly reduces avian death, birds have unknowingly flown into the enormous and potentially fatal blades.

Noise pollution strikes another mark against wind power. The constant "whirr" of large blades and the "humm" of the gearbox is enough to force partial electrical production in residential areas. By changing the rotor "pitch", the controllers can slow the turning speed which lowers production, resulting in a quieter but less efficient turbine.

To minimize costs, turbines should be built close to existing utility structures which limits the productivity of such geographically sensitive technology. If not, financial costs increase dramatically.

What Stands in the Way of Wind Power?

As with most issues affecting our states, country and planet, financial cost is usually the bottom line and deciding factor. If it makes sense economically to the consumer, they'll do it. Even "eco-conscious" consumers have budgets. Therefore, when oil and other fossil fuels are cheap for whatever reason, people use it. When the price spikes for whatever reason, people look for alternatives. According to Michael Bergey of the Bergey Windpower Co., "the modest wind industry that had built up by the 1930's was literally driven out of business by government policies favoring the construction of utility lines and fossil fuel power plants." In essence, the oil price dropped so people plugged into the grid and unplugged their windmills.

Another thing that stands in the way are communities that sit in the shadows of potential wind turbines. Some people think wind turbines are beautiful, others think they're a blight that pose a threat to bird populations.

Can You Use Wind Power at Home?

Upfront costs may be enough to scare some potential wind converts out the door and back to the grid (a moderate-sized home system might exceed $45,000). However, portions of the federal government and some states see the sustainable, wind-powered light and offer a variety of financial incentives. For example, a host of "investment tax credits," grants, rebates and loans make the initial investment more realistic. Under current law, residents can apply for a 30% tax credit toward the installation of a home, wind system.

"Net metering" is another incentive for potential participants. If one is connected to the grid and to a home wind turbine, one may sell power back to the utility and actually watch the electrical meter run backwards. Net metering sounds wonderful but many states, Florida included, make such a practice difficult enough to dissuade anyone interested.

Is Wind Power a Good Solution?

The advantages of diversity can be found throughout the world. Many financial consultants urge their customers to "diversify" holdings as insurance against a financial blight. Some farmers routinely rotate crops and "diversify" their plants so the soil and crop remain healthy. Forests, reefs, treetop canopies and riverbeds offer an endless supply of diversified species. After millions of years field testing what works, our bugs, critters and plants have one great lesson to teach us; diversity survives. We don't use any one option now and we won't use any one option for energy production in the future. So, wind power, in concert with other approaches such as solar power generation, is a viable option. Question is whether wind power can overcome it's critiques and cost-prohibitive status in order to be a real option for cash-strapped individuals, states and utilities looking for a new, clean, renewable way to fuel our lives.