Study Says Home Wind Turbines Are Often Useless

January 15th, 2009 by Ariel Schwartz

Before buying a small wind turbine for your roof, consider this: a recent British study claims that many home turbines generate only a fraction of what manufacturers promise, and some don’t even generate enough power to run their own electronics. The study, which was funded by the British Wind Energy Association, looked at turbines in four rural, 10 suburban, and 12 urban sites over the course of a year.

Many of the turbines in the study generated on average only 214 watt hours per day— less than five percent of a household’s electricity.

Unfortunately for many homeowners, obstructions like trees and buildings often get in the way of accessing substantial wind power. Turbines installed on buildings in exposed positions obviously have the best results.

Of course, there are still plenty of options for homeowners hoping to invest in renewable energy, including solar panels, which usually reap better results than home turbines.

Photo Credit: NREL









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