- 1). Assess whether wind power is appropriate for your home site. First, make sure there is enough space. A wind turbine does not make sense on property less than one acre in size or with too many obstructions surrounding it, such as tall buildings. Second, does your home site get regular wind? If so, wind power as a supplement to other energy sources is likely viable. A steady, non-turbulent wind speed of at least 10 mph is desirable. It's difficult to measure wind speed yourself, but you can obtain data estimates for your area from the U.S. Department of Energy.
- 2). Evaluate your energy needs. Is your home on the electricity grid? A good wind turbine can reduce your energy bills by 50-90% and if it generates surplus energy, you can sell it back to the electric company. Residential wind systems range in cost from $6,000-$22,000 and last 20-30 years. Payback on energy savings takes about 6-15 years. Is your home off the grid? It's difficult to power a home entirely by wind, but it makes an effective compliment to solar panels. Also, make sure your home is as energy efficient as possible---it will make wind power go a lot further.
- 3). Do your homework. A lot of conflicting or inaccurate information on small-scale wind power exists. Educate yourself on wind power from objective, non-commercial sources and comparison shop from a wide range of manufacturers. Consider, also, the option of building your own turbine. The latter allows you to tailor-make a wind turbine for your site and may be more cost-effective but requires more preparation and technical capacity.
- 4). Choose a wind tower. The general rule is--the taller the wind tower, the better since wind is faster, steadier and smoother at greater heights. Towers are more expensive than the rotors, but one tall tower is worth more than multiple sets of rotors. A small boost in height can be a great boost in efficiency, as wind power increases exponentially. A tower between 80 and 120 feet tall is ideal. The tower should be at least 30 feet above anything within a 500-foot radius, as obstructions may not only slow wind speed but can increase turbulence.
- 5). Select a rotor size. Larger blades capture more wind, of course, but make sure they are not too heavy to be turned in low winds. The efficiency of the rotor will depend on the average wind speed of your site. Ten-foot blades are a common standard for residential sites.
- 6). Decide on a battery storage system. Smaller batteries tend to have a shorter life span and will need to be replaced more often.
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