Why Wind Energy?

Overview

Currently, wind power is the fastest-growing renewable resource. According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, the state of Colorado alone has enough wind energy to supply nine percent of the electricity consumption for the lower 48 states. That translates into 481 billion kilowatt hours per year of electricity. The average house uses about 600 kilowatt hours per month, suggesting that Colorado’s wind could power nearly 67 million homes per year if fully harnessed. In fact, Colorado ranks as the 11th best place in the nation to generate energy from wind. According to the Annual Rankings Report by the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), Colorado is the second-fastest-growing wind energy producer in the United States.

Benefit #1: Save money and reduce your electricity bills. Worried about the cost of a wind installation? Don’t be. Colorado provides a vast amount of wind rebates and incentives that will enable your Colorado wind system to pay for itself in a few short years. After your first month of wind power use, you will notice a remarkable decrease in your utility bill. Colorado utility rates have been climbing by a rate of 9% per year over the past ten years. A Colorado wind energy system will enable you to break free from the grip of utility companies and generate your own electricity. When properly maintained, a wind energy system can last 30 years or more. See out Rebates and tax Incentives page and our Pricing page.

Benefit #3: Get paid for what you generate and tax Incentives and rebates: through Feed-in-Tariffs, you get paid for the electricity you generate even if you use it. What you don't use, you can export to the local grid - and get paid for that too. There are many rebates available to Coloradoans that take specific energy efficiency and/or renewable energy measures. See out Rebates and tax Incentives page and our Pricing page.

Benefit #4: Store electricity for a calm day: if your home isn't connected to the national grid you can store excess electricity in batteries and use it when there is no wind.

Benefit #5: Increased Home Value. Over the long term, a wind turbine is a good investment because a well-sited wind system increases property value, similar to any other home improvement*. Many people buy wind systems in preparation for their retirement because they don't want to be subject to unpredictable increases in utility rates. If you ever decide to sell your home, the affordability offered by reduced electric payments will be taken into account by potential buyers. *American Wind Energy Association

A 1999 study, funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, found that a home value increases by $20 for every $1 reduction in annual electric payments. This means that with aforementioned $1,800 in annual savings will result in a home worth $36,000 more! Now that’s a steal!

Benefit #6: Do your part to to help Colorado achieve its Renewable Energy Standard. Colorado Goveneor Bill Ritter signed Renewable Energy Standard legislation on March 22, 2010 that requires large utilities to obtain 30% of their power from renewable sources by 2020. Putting Solar on your house or business helps Colorado to achieve their Renewawable Energy goals!

Benefit #7: Create jobs in Colorado’s New Energy Economy. Wind Energy supports local business growth and allows every Coloradoan to directly contribute to the New Energy Economy by producing their own clean electricity. Colorado is quickly becoming a leader in the “New Energy Economy” as the state pursues one of the most ambitious clean energy requirements in the country-- a 30% renewable electricity standard by 2020. Growth in the wind industry means jobs for electricians, builders, contractors, engineers, technicians and salespeople.

Benefit #8: Cleaner Air.  Colorado’s clean wind power drastically helps the environment. Currently, 90% of Colorado’s electricity is produced from burning fossil fuels, primarily coal or natural gas. This type of electricity generation produces a range of unavoidable harmful pollutants such as mercury, nitrogen monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide. The result is a host of negative impacts from asthma and acid rain to water contamination and global climate change. Wind energy is an effective pollution mitigation tool because it offsets dirtier fossil generation resources, such as natural gas and coal. By installing wind energy power on homes, businesses, and ranches across Colorado we avoid emitting millions of tons of the dangerous pollutants that are already clouding the state. Going with Wind Energy cuts down Colorado's global warming pollution, improves public health, and significantly improves our quality of life. See our Why Go Green page and our Why Sustainable Business page.

Benefit #9: Reducing Global Warming Pollutants. Colorado’s clean Wind Energy power drastically helps the environment. Three byproducts of fossil-fuel based energy production - carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide - are also the three largest sources of global warming pollution. In Colorado, global warming will have many impacts, but perhaps most worrisome may be the loss of mountain snow pack. Rising temperatures will lead to less snow, which threatens our thriving ski industry and already constrained water resource during the summer months. In 2008, the Governor issued an Executive Order establishing a goal of achieving an 80% reduction in global warming pollution from 2005 levels by 2050. See our Why Go Green page and our Why Sustainable Business page.

Benefit #10: Reduce U.S. dependence on Foreign Oil. There is near-universal agreement that breaking the United States off of oil should be one of our nation’s top priorities. We face a choice between vulnerability and strength. So far we’ve made energy choices that have exposed us to unnecessary risks, but it’s time for that to change. As long as America is dependent on foreign oil, both our security and our economy are in jeopardy. Rather than sending a billion-dollar check to foreign nations every day, we should be spending that money on American energy solutions that put people to work here at home. It is time for Americans to meet its challenges head on, make a commitment to a stronger economy and a stronger nation, and commit – finally – to breaking the strangling grip of our oil addiction. Do your part by investing in Wind and Solar energy! See our Why Go Green page.

HOW DOES SMALL WIND TURBINE'S WORK?

A small wind turbine is a device that produces electricity from wind. Moving air causes its blades (or other airfoil design) to rotate, which generates clean energy that can be used to power a home, farm, school, or business. Though most small wind turbines look like a miniaturized, “back yard” version of the large, utility-scale, three-bladed turbines, the industry encompasses over 200 different models and they can vary widely in appearance. A small wind turbine is technologically advanced but mechanically simple, with only two or three moving parts. Most feature three blades of 2-15 feet in length and a generator located at the hub. The technology has advanced considerably in the recent years, making small wind turbines quieter, more reliable, and better able to blend in with surrounding aesthetics.

Unlike large turbines that power entire cities, small wind systems are used to produce power primarily on-site for a single user. Tens of thousands of homes, farms, small businesses, schools, and other institutions throughout the country use small wind turbines to lower or eliminate their electricity bills and help the environment. Uses are diverse and quite similar to those of solar photovoltaic panels. The two technologies are in fact natural complements (winds resources are strongest in the winter and spring while solar resources are strongest in the summer) and are often used together in hybrid systems. Some small wind systems connect to the electricity grid, while others charge batteries for backup power for remote, stand-alone applications like cabins or even sailboats. Connecting to the electric grid allows a turbine owner to use electricity from the local utility when the wind does not blow, but also allows any surplus electricity – energy produced in excess of consumption, such as when winds are strong and usage is low – to be sent back into the grid and used by a neighbor.

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