Mulling over your windmill
Tue, Jun 02 2009 at 10:46 AM EST
Read more: GREEN BUILDING, WIND POWER
(Photo: Quiet Revolution) 
If you’re considering installing a wind turbine on your house, apartment building or place of business, keep these tips in mind: - The building on which the turbine will be installed must be structurally sound enough to support the extra weight and stress.
- The turbine should sit above the roofline and trees. “Trees are very good at absorbing the wind — they’re like wind sponges,” warns Aerotecture International’s Becker.
- Make sure that the place where you plan to attach the turbine gets average wind speeds of at least ten miles per hour.
- Check with your local building officials before you start your blades a-spinnin’ to see if the turbine requires a permit.
- If the company that sold you the turbine doesn’t do installation, ask the company or distributor to recommend a licensed contractor who can set up your system and hook it up to the power grid.
- Many states offer financial incentives or tax breaks for installing renewable energy systems like wind power. Check your local regulations to see if you qualify.
Story by Susan Cosier. This article originally appeared in Plenty in October 2007.
Copyright Environ Press 2007
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