Wind mill for powering farm electric

[Robert_in_NY]

My new house is right next to my parents house (500 feet apart as our farms border each other). Anyway, we started looking at what it cost us for electric and it is roughly $4k a year if we combine our electric bills. So we started wondering about putting up a private windmill for our farms electric.

So, do any of you guys have any insight on this topic? I have no idea about this and hopefully someone on here has something similar that can give me some advice. The windmill would power both houses, two walk in coolers (only for a few months each year) and two barns (one is the main shop where we will do all the welding as well as wood working (different sections of the shop so don't worry)). This is something I have such little experience with I have no idea where to even start but we do have good wind coming off Lake Erie. So any help or any direction you guys can point me in would be great.

 

[CharlieTR]

My friend looked in the windmill thing once a few years ago.
It was a $40,000 + investment for his single family home.
The electric co has to buy from you what you do not use, but I am not sure if that is much $$ or not.

You should also price the cost of insurance for something like that.

 

[ToadHill]

Robert: See if your library can get a copy of Countryside Mag. They have had several very well done articles on wind power. The publisher is in the "Boonies" and they run the place with wind and photovoltic power.

If you have no success, let me know and I can bring you a copy if the Western New York crew ever has another breakfast meeting.

 

[hazmat]

Here is a good place to start NYSERDA

NY will help subsidize the system (see funding opportunities in the above link). You can also write off on your federal income tax.

I imagine a "combined" project would be difficult, probably have to do 2 seperate systems. Perhaps a discounted rate from the installer (generally not a DIY project to qualify for the subsidies).

More web sites

DSIREUSA

EERE

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I am trying to get in touch with the program manager with NYSERDA. I am hoping they have someone that I can sit down with and discuss this with and lay out my options and what ever programs they have to help would be great.

The income tax break is a nice added feature also

Thanks for the links.

 

[tommu56]

Robert_in_NY

check out HOME POWER mag

Home Power Magazine: Solar | Wind | Hydro | Design | Build

there the best info on home based power ect.

tom

 

[HappyCPE]

My friend looked in the windmill thing once a few years ago.
It was a $40,000 + investment for his single family home.
The electric co has to buy from you what you do not use, but I am not sure if that is much $$ or not.

You should also price the cost of insurance for something like that.

For NJ, they will pay half of the initial cost for solar panels. Not many wind installations here.
What torpedoed the deal for me was [1] the insurance on the equipment, [2] they raise your property taxes after completion and [3] the power company has to buy the surplus electricity BUT they only have to pay you wholesale, which is about 6 cents or half what we pay.
Like everything in this state there are strings attached. This is an opportunity for research!

 

[charlz]

Be interesting to see how the numbers work out. Generally you would want to look at a grid-tie system where you are putting power into the grid when producing more than you need and getting power from the grid when you are using more than you are producing. No batteries etc. to have to worry about. Your electric meter essentially 'runs backwards' when you are producing more than you are using.

I looked into a solar version of this when I lived in Vegas but Nevada did not offer any subsidies or tax breaks at the time. Essentially the equipment would have been paid off about the time the warranty ran out on the panels (I think it was 15 years).

There was some mention that the inverter needed for the dc->ac conversion was pretty loud. Probably not an issue on a farm but I was in town so there would have been a need for a sound proof enclosure.

 

[willywildes]

A 1 yr wind survey is the first thing i would do. placed at the same spot and elevation you want the windmill, that will tell you how big, how much, and the rate of return. I think you will find the power co is a good deal. or everyone would have one!

p.s. according to the book of world records i live in the place with the most sustained wind. my survey netted 16.5 MPH av good luck!

 

[Robert_in_NY]

The winds average 12.5-13.? here. NYS did a wind survey of the entire state recently as they are pushing for more wind mills. Right now they are trying to start up a couple large wind farms 15 miles from me in two different directions. Up near Buffalo they just finished putting up 8 large towers and my uncle is installing a large farm an hour away.

New York wants the green energy and hopefully the numbers will work out so that we might save a few dollars.