More and more people these days are deciding to go green. One of the ways to do so is to try to provide all or part of your own electricity needs either through solar photovoltaic or wind power. There are several factors you need to consider before you install a system on your property.
Instructions
1. Calculate the upfront costs. All other things being equal, wind power does at first seem to have some advantages over solar power, since the initial costs are considerably lower. To produce a given amount of power, you will have to invest 20 to 50 percent more for a photovoltaic system than for a wind turbine system. However, you should also take into account maintenance costs, since wind turbines are far more likely to break down and require repair.
2. Evaluate the wind potential of your site. One way to help determine the potential of your locale for wind power is to use the U.S. Department of Energy's wind resource maps. Go to the site and click on the state you live in. You will get a map showing the wind potential in your state (see Resources). The map shows wind potentials ranging from 1 (the lowest) to 7 (the highest). Although some sites in the 3 range might be suitable, you will generally want a site in the 4 range or higher. Compare what you see with the location you have chosen. The highest average potential wind generation is found all along the Pacific coast and along the Atlantic coast from North Carolina to Maine, although the eastern-facing Rockies have good spots as well.
3. Evaluate the solar potential of your site. With solar you are a bit less affected by weather, although the more sunny days you have the better. For this reason, living in a climate with lots of rain is a bad thing for solar cells. To get a rough idea of the solar potential of your site, go to the Energy Information Administration's solar voltaic resource potential map (see Resources). Compare what you see to the location you have chosen. The numbers represent kWh per meter squared per day. Areas that are at 5 or higher have good potential for solar power generation. Generally, the Southwest has the highest average potential for solar power generation.
4. Compare solar cells and wind turbines in terms of their environmental impact. While on the one hand wind turbines have a reputation for being unsightly, noisy bird killers, photovoltaic cells take up a huge amount of space in the environment. Of course, to the extent that solar areas can be incorporated into already existing structures (on rooftops of houses, malls and departments stores), this factor is less important. There is also the question of whether the energy cost that goes into creating solar cells outweighs the energy they will yield. While this was a problem in the past, current solar cells can be expected to recoup the energy used to produce them in only a few years, with the average cell expected to last 15 to 20 years beyond the break-even point.
5. Ascertain if you will be able to get permission where you live to install either type of system. If you live in an urban or even suburban area, you will almost certainly not be able to put up a wind turbine, since neighbors will object to the sound of the turbine and its unsightliness. Most communities have fewer objections to solar panels.
