Small Wind and You

Did you know? Saving a kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity is more cost-effective than producing one!

Before buying a small wind turbine, reduce your annual electricity demand as much as possible! Energy conservation (using less electricity) and energy efficiency (making the most of what you do use) will lower your utility bills and likely reduce the wind turbine size you require!

There are many ways you can make your home more efficient:

Reduce your heating and cooling needs by up to 30% by investing just a few hundred dollars in proper insulation and weatherization products.
Save money and increase comfort by properly maintaining and upgrading your heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems.
Install double-paned, gas-filled windows with low-emissivity (low-e) coatings to reduce heat loss in cold climates and use spectrally selective coatings to reduce heat gain in warm climates.
Replace your lights in high-use areas with compact fluorescent lights (CFL). Replacing 25% of your lights can save about 50% of your lighting energy bill.
When shopping for appliances, look for the ENERGY STAR® label. ENERGY STAR® appliances are the most energy-efficient products in their classes. Also look for appliances with good ratings on their EnerGuide labels. EnerGuide labels help you determine how much energy a particular model requires annually compared to other similar models.
Consider a professional building energy audit to benchmark your home/office and determine the priority actions to reduce energy use. For more, see Canada’s EnerGuide for Houses program.

For more information on how to make your building and lifestyle more energy efficient, consult the Office of Energy Efficiency (OEE) at Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) and Canada’s One Tonne Challenge.