You would have to make sure that you had the correct wind resource for your home. To find out if your home qualifies, you would need to go online and find a wind map. Within that map, you will be able to determine if your home is right for this set up. The other requirement for this is that your home is located in a specific zoning area.
Residential wind power is operated by a wind turbine. This wind generator is placed on top of a tower. This tower is responsible for gathering wind energy. The wind energy is then transformed into electricity. The result from the wind turbine is set so that it can match and work with the utility. The household wiring receives the output via the electrical breaker.
If there is an excess from the wind turbine, the utility purchases it. This system is set up automatically, so there's no changing of human hands. There are no batteries to worry about with residential wind power.
The wind turbines are known to make noise, but not enough to where it is unbearable. The turbines do not interfere any electrical appliances or devices in the home. You don't have to mess with any wiring in your home.
However, some areas have another utility meter installed on their property. The second meter is used to determine how much electricity was sold to the utility. Qualified residents are also allowed to have a wind generator per Federal guidelines. The incentive you have with this is that you would be paid for any additional electricity that is created.
The towers start at 35' and go to about 80'. When the turbine is installed, it should be measured at least 20' above any interferences around your home. The more height the tower has, the faster the turbine will spin. This also helps the wind output to become milder.
It may take a while before you can tell whether or not this is a good investment for you. If your wind speed is average and your electricity cost is not high, then you may be able to get by. For some, it can take over six years to actually get your investment back. This would be accomplished by savings on utilities. After the time period has passed, the cost for electricity would be free.
Another benefit for residential wind power is that qualified homeowners can be eligible for tax incentives and rebates for their system. If you are looking to save on electricity and willing to wait a few years to see the real benefits, then having residential wind power may be an investment you'll want to make.