Wind Energy for Homeowners: FAQs

Is my home right for a wind energy system?
A wind electric system will work for you if:

  • There is enough wind resource where you live
  • Local zoning permits tall towers in your neighborhood
  • You have adequate property to site a wind turbine
  • You can determine how much electricity you need or want to produce
  • It makes sense for you economically

Does the wind blow hard and consistently enough at your site to make a wind turbine system economically worthwhile?  This is a key question and not always easily answered.  Yet, there are steps you can take that will go a long way towards answering this and other questions.

As a first step, utilize the Long Island Wind Resource Maps to estimate wind resources in your area.

What is Net Metering?
Your electric meter spins forward when electricity is flowing from LIPA into your home, and it spins backward when power is flowing from your home back to LIPA.  If more electricity is generated through a wind energy system than your home requires, your are billed only for net consumption  - the amount of electricity consumed less the amount of electricity distributed back to LIPA’s grid.  Learn more about LIPA’s Net Metering Tariff for Wind Residential Customers,

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What size wind turbine do I need?
How much wind energy you can install will depend on many factors, including your location and how strong the wind resources are on your property.  As a starting point, you might consider how much of your present electricity needs you would like to meet with a wind system.  For example, if you would like to meet 50% of your electricity needs with wind energy, you would work with a wind installer to examine past electric bills and determine the size of the wind system needed to achieve that goal.  Depending on the average wind speed in your area, a wind turbine rated in the range of 5 to 15 kilowatts (kW) would be adequate to meet the annual electricity needs of the average Long Island homeowner. 

Contact LIPA by calling 1-800-490-0025 and request the total electricity usage, measured in kilowatt-hours, for your household over the last 12 months.  Ask your installer how much a new wind system will produce annually and compare that number to your annual electric demand to get an idea of how much you will save. Back to top

What things should I know before buying a wind turbine?
Use the Long Island Wind Resource Map to determine if your property has a good wind resource (10 to 12 mph average annual wind speed)

  • If your local zoning codes or covenants allow wind turbines.
  • Wind energy makes sense if your average electricity bills are $150 per month or more.
  • If your property is in a remote location without easy access to utility lines.
  • When choosing the ‘best’ location for a wind turbine, remember to site it upwind of buildings and trees, and approximately 30 feet above any structure within 300 feet. 

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Who can I contact for more information on wind systems?
For more information about LIPA’s Residential Wind Power Program, please call LIPA’s Energy Infoline at 1-800-692-2626. Back to top

 

Last Updated: 10/02/2009