Randy Phillips - Camp Point, IL
Many homeowners across the country are feeling the bite of rising electric rates and Randy Phillips of Camp Point, IL is no exception.
Dismayed with the prospect of paying an ever increasing electric bill, Mr. Phillips decided to take a careful look at alternative energies. A self proclaimed cheap skate, Randy started investigating everything from corn burners to solar power as ways to reduce his utility bill.
For several years now, wind turbine manufacturers have been producing a new class of product designed for residential use. After hearing a presentation by Southwest Windpower and Farmergy on the Skystream 1.8 kW residential wind turbine, Randy decided to purchase one for his home from Farmergy and took the first step by buying a SmartEnergy PRO™ Plus plan to look at all energy needs and aspects of the site and resources. As an airplane pilot Randy is constantly aware of wind, and he knows his property has good wind resources. His home’s rural location on top of a hill, without any features in the landscape to block the wind, made a turbine a logical option.
Mike Hale, the local Farmergy Certified Installer, began the project following the onsite assessment. The Skystream and its foundation are located 215 feet from the house. Once the concrete cured and the tower arrived, installation was quick with a power line run to the house and hooked directly to the breaker box.
Mr. Phillip’s electric coop allowed him to interconnect, but asked that he carry an additional $700,000 in liability insurance. This initially daunting figure ended up costing a very affordable 26 dollars per year extra in homeowners’ insurance.
In a world starting to feel the effects of global warming, more people are looking for ways to reduce their dependence on electricity produced from coal. Wind turbines, generally thought of as gracing the Dutch countryside or clustered on wind farms in the American Midwest, are now being produced by several companies on a scale suitable for residential applications. Small turbines have become an attractive option for rural homeowners seeking greater energy independence.
If you are in need of alternative power in a remote location for watering livestock or powering utilities, call the energy system experts at Farmergy at 888-838-0042.
