Costs

Properly sited, small wind turbines are one of the most cost-effective choices for generating some or all of your own electricity.

Some issues to note:

Wind energy becomes more cost effective per kilowatt as the size of the turbine’s rotor increases.
Although small turbines (<300 kW) cost less in initial outlay than large wind turbines (>300 kW), small turbines are currently more expensive per kilowatt-hour of energy generated.
Although wind energy systems involve a significant initial investment, they can be competitive with conventional energy sources when you account for a lifetime of reduced utility costs. It is also important to consider non-monetary benefits, including reduced environmental impacts, energy independance and price stability.
The length of the payback period – the time when the savings resulting from your system equals the cost of the system itself – depends on:
- the system you choose
- the wind resource on your site
- electricity costs in your area
- applicable financial incentives and
- how you use your wind system

Also see our page on the Cost Comparison of different turbine sizes.

You can get Help on Planning for Your Turbine to determine if small wind is a good investment for you.