SALT LAKE CITY, (ABC 4 News) - You've heard about those big commercial wind farms, but one man has placed an electricity producing windmill in his own backyard!
Scott Miles was ahead of his time, when he began dreaming of harnessing the wind at his Canyon Rim residence.
When Miles first moved into his home 30 years ago, the wind would sometimes blow so hard that it would keep him up at night.
It took him nearly 3 decades, but eventually he had this 45 foot residential wind-mill erected at a cost of $12,000… but there were significant tax breaks.
The state and federal government both provided rebates of around $4300 Dollars, so together net out-lay is about $8,000 said Miles.
Here's how it works. Scott's windmill generates his electricity when the wind blows roughly over 20mph, anything he doesn’t use, goes right back into the power grid.
The excess energy is shared with his neighbors. So, he wins in two ways; the electricity he doesn’t have to use to begin with, and the electricity that Rocky Mountain Power buys back from him!
When I get my monthly bill, it has two lines, what I use, and what I generate. When I combine them the net amount is what I pay, said Miles.
Now Scott is not quite in the perfect spot so he only saves at most $30 per month, and it will take him YEARS to pay off this windmill, but he is doing it for other important "green" reasons as well.
Energy costs keep rising and this is a way to save and contribute, this is my little part of it, said Miles.
The big question you probably are asking is yourself is what about the neighbors? It turns out that the unit puts out less sound than an outdoor air conditioner. The neighbors have not only been supportive, but curious to see if they can do the same thing as well.
For more information on Utah wind power solutions go to:
http://www.rockymountainpower.net/Article/Article87852.html
