Are Home Turbines Worth the Investment?

by Charlie Morrow

Are home wind turbines worth the investment? There are a few factors to consider. Economically, they are a viable purchase that will pay themselves back in their lifetime more so considering that electricity costs will continue increasing. But does that mean they are right for you? Many people are concerned by a few factors while making their decision:

  • Assembly costs
  • Noise
  • Regulation
  • Electricity production
Assembly and shipping can be a source of apprehension because the costs can be inflated based on variables like transportation and technicians’ availability. One consideration is the simple self-assembly option. It may seem like something you need a degree in. but products like our Anorra have step-by-step instructions on how to identify a possible area for installation, and piece together the turbine with the IKEA model of assembly: Do it with a friend! Furthermore, the tower and the turbine can be erected without special equipment like a crane, all you need is a pickup truck or a winch.
 
                             Credit: Inter IKEA Systems B.V.
 

The noise is another cause for concern. Typically, a home wind turbine will have an audio output of around 54 decibels given that it is the recommended 100ft away from a home. Making it comparable to the sounds you may hear from a kitchen refrigerator. But as distance increases, volume decreases. So, at a distance around 300ft(<100m) the sound will be much quieter at 47 decibels. Check out our infographic regarding the low level of noise generated by the Anorra. 

Regulation can create problems for people seeking to utilize home turbines as well. In cities, residential neighborhood areas are barred from home turbines altogether. But rural areas have some flexibility given that they are more secluded. Before doing any more research on the topic of a home wind turbine for a rural area, ensure that there are no legal roadblocks in the way of tower heights, or limits on audio output.

Electricity production is difficult for any dwelling owner to estimate, We at Borrum Energy Solutions have access to Environment Canada wind data. We can provide an electricity production report based on a target location at no cost. Select contact us to see exactly how much electricity one of our wind turbines can generate for you.

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