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Choosing to generate your own electricity with rooftop solar panels or a backyard wind turbine is an exciting proposition-not only is it better for the planet, but it can save you a fat wad of cash, as well. Because the cost-effectiveness of your installation depends on its performance-and not all locations are created equal-it helps to know in advance how much solar and wind energy you can tap into where you live.
A good site to check out is the MyWattsEstimator, a free service by Choose Renewables. Simply punch in your zip code to pull up a satellite map overlaid with data about the wind and solar resources in your area. You'll also be able to note any federal and state incentives that are available to you-two factors that could play a large part in your decision making.
Although state incentives for wind power are excellent in my neighborhood-$10,800 for a 3 kilowatt turbine-for instance, wind energy is anything but plentiful. Solar energy is only marginally higher, with an average of 4.47 sun hours per day. Despite $11,394 in state incentives and $1,998 in federal cash, my hypothetical $13,608 setup would take me, oh, about 20 years to break even. My husband and I buy renewable energy from our power company, but if we want to be like Ed Begley and live off-grid, it looks like a move is in order. ::MyWattsEstimator
Difficulty level: Easy
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