Barriers to Residential Wind Power
This article does a decent job of pointing out key barriers that will limit the installation & use of residential wind turbines:
- The federal government does not currently provide a tax credit for residential-scale wind energy
- Only a few states have enacted incentive programs for wind power
- Payback time for a wind power project can approach 20 years (way too long for mass adoption)
- Wind power only works in places where the wind blows a lot
- Even in spots with good wind, sometimes the wind doesn't blow
- For maximum gain, wind turbines need to be located high in the air ... & this causes tons of NIMBY-related issues
That last bullet really gets to me ... I have always considered wind turbines really sleek & aesthetically pleasing. I don't understand the people who feel that turbines mar the landscape. I think they fit perfectly into the built environment & make all the sense in the world (in windy areas).
I can't understand why the federal government is not underwriting renewable energy projects for residences. We need a comprehensive renewable energy bill that provides incentives (or better yet rebates) for consumers to install renewable energy like wind. In addition to growing renewable energy capacity, this would also have the benefit of creating jobs & demand for renewable energy products & services.
If you are a concerned citizen, you should support renewable energy. Get in touch with your local, state & federal representatives about this.
