Today I look at the background to the development of wind technology, how much it can cost and whether it is an option for the ordinary homeowner concerned with spiralling energy costs in his/her everday life.

The use of wind power is not a modern concept. Windmills have been used for centuries for grinding grain. However, today they are also being used to produce electricity to power homes and industry. Home owners are exploring developing wind energy systems because of high electricity prices.

Residential wind power is generated with the help of a turbine generator that is mounted on an 80-120 foot tall tower. The height of the tower allows maximum wind exposure for the propeller. The propeller starts to spin by the force of wind on it and the generator in tunn produces electricity from the action of the wind on the propeller.

You remain connected to the grid, so when the wind is not blowing you can still use power from the electric company. If your wind turbine produces excess power the electric company must buy it back from you as per federal law.

The initial investment on a wind power system can range between 6000 and 20,000 dollars. Clearly this is a lot of money to pay up front; however, this cost is more than offset by the energy saving that youll be able to make. The average pay back time for generator system is between 6-15 years depending on its size and how much its used.

You can also build a wind turbine by yourself and this is a great way to dip your toe in the water at a tiny cost compared to the figures above.

Different manuals available online will teach you how to do so. When you build your own wind turbine you could see a return on your investment much sooner. Even if the highest quality materials are used the final price would still a fraction of what the ready-made residential wind turbines would cost.

By using wind energy to cover you electricity needs, you are not only saving money but also helping the environment by reducing carbon emissions that are produced when electricity is generated from fossil fuels.

More Wind Energy Articles