e and not something that could be placed inconspicuously in the backyard.
In addition to the inefficiency of wind power, the size of a wind turbine capable of producing a complete residential power solution is simply not practical in most cases. Local government and neighbors who may not appreciate a large wind turbine in a suburban area could also become a problem.
Since most of us do not have a vast expanse of desert in our backyard suitable for wind turbine installation, location also plays a role in the overall success of the installation.
A turbine too close to your house is subjected to high turbulence resulting in reduced efficiency and premature wear of moving parts. A turbine located farther away from structures is bound to lose generated power through transmission lines. On a residential scale, these transmission loses can be significant.
This photo depicts a poor wind turbine location. In this case, the turbine produces less than half of its rated output because of turbulence created by tall trees and the roof of the home. In a residential area, however, there really may not be any other place to put the turbine.
Hopefully the severe drawbacks of wind power on a residential scale have become slightly more apparent. Although wind power as a large-scale energy source used by utility companies is still a viable renewable energy source, the numbers do not add up for consumer-grade systems.
As we continue to look for resilient ways to implement alternative energy sources, it is clear that wind power is not the answer.
There are much more efficient, cost-effective, and reliable ways to generate power for our homes and those solutions should be our primary focus as we begin to look toward 2014 and beyond.