The Virginian-Pilot
©
CHESAPEAKE
The crowd gathered around the giant eggbeaters, looking up with reverence.
At least that's what the scene looked like from the country road that runs by George and Helen Bates' house near the Great Dismal Swamp.
On closer inspection, the two 30-foot-tall spinning cylinders were wind turbines that the Bateses hope will cut their electricity bill.
"Put some landscaping around them, and they're going to be beautiful," said a proud George Bates, who'd just raised the turbines to be vertical with his Chevy Silverado, completing
the final installation step known as "the tipping."
As city officials craft zoning regulations to allow for turbines and as regional leaders push for a wind farm off Virginia Beach, the Bateses became one of the first families in the state to take the wind power plunge.
Suffolk has a wind turbine ordinance, and Virginia Beach is working on one. Chesapeake is exploring the idea.
After some initial friction with the city - a letter to his congressman and the City Council smoothed the way - Bates got a permit under the existing "accessory structure" code.
Wednesday's turbine-raising brought out friends, neighbors and people who said they might just get a turbine themselves.
"I'm definitely thinking about it," said the Bateses' neighbor Amos Swogger, "but I'm going to wait to see his electric bill."
The turbines cost $6,500 each, and the couple spent $2,000 on installation, bringing the total cost to about $15,000. George said he figures they'll shave 20 percent off their $300-a-month electric bill, or $60, which roughly translates to 21 years to break even.
"The sound of money, isn't it nice?" said Lou Lloyd-Zannini, who'd driven up from Currituck County, N.C., to watch the turbines go up. The y were quietly whirring in the steady northeast breeze.
"I hope it's the sound of saving money," Helen Bates said, with a serious laugh. But it's not all about the money. The Bateses said they want to be environmentally conscious, too.
George had another motivation. He wanted to be the first in Virginia to have this kind of turbine, called the Windspire.
He and Helen saw it featured on a home improvement TV show last month. He called the next day, and two days later met a representative from Mariah Power, the company based in Reno, Nev., that makes them.
Helen wanted one; George wanted four. They compromised on two.
George, who owns a commercial construction company, poured the concrete pilings that support the turbines and dug a long trench for the electrical wires. As soon as the turbines went up, they were producing power.
"Are you happy now, George?" Helen asked, as they gazed up at the shiny spinning twins.
George said, yes, he was happy. "The main thing is I'm the first one."
Aaron Applegate, (757) 222-5122, aaron.applegate@pilotonline.com
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Payback on WindSpire
It's a great way to produce clean electricity and has a very rapid payback IF it's installed in a windy location. Which is limited to most coastal communities and some inland areas. I'd do it if I had more wind. If I had listened to all the naysayers 5 years ago when I was considering a solar electric system installation, I would have missed out on a great thing. Only 5 years of operation in NJ, and I've gotten my initial investment back, thanks to NJ rebates and now Renewable Energy Credit trades/sales. Now on top of $500/year in direct savings at today's electric rates, and $1500/year + in Renewable Energy Credit income, I have a net zero annual utility bill. Please tell me where I can do better investing in something else.
The government, and therefore we taxpayers, have been subsidizing oil exploration and coal has been removed from state/federal land for zero royalties, so it's cheaper because of amazing tax breaks for decades. Not to mention the communities in complete ruin from coal dust and other hazardous environmental conditions created from coal harvesting. Let's remove tax breaks at all levels and see how "cheap" fossil fuels really are compared to renewables.
Egg beaters
Well, I wonder how the state and the city of Chesapeake will collect taxes and fees on electricity when the public can unplug Dominion Power and everyone has the capability to be self sufficient for their electricity? I would love to be self sufficient for everything. Fuel for my car, natural gas, and electricity. Not that I care about reducing my "foot print" on the environment and all that rubbish, but to save money for myself.
Mariah windspires
Dr. Tabor you rock!
Thank for the view from space.
One thing we can be certain of . . .
Power costs are going to go UP. You can be certain they're not going to go down. We are already seeing the price for gasoline rising again. There's a good chance that in a few years these investments in alternative energy generation are going to start looking very good. Then we'll have to see how the horse and buggy/kerosene lighting crowd react.
You have a point there
If the climate change scammers succeed in getting this Cap & Trade thing through, they may well succeed in driving power costs high enough to make wind power feasible.
But that will only be because conventional forms of power generation will be driven so high that they will become equally unaffordable.
The result, of course will be wealthy frauds like AlGore cashing in on a lower standard of living for all average Americans, while China and India keep right on using cheap power to grow their industry at our expense.
But at least we will be able to feel noble, as we freeze in the dark.
Give it a chance !!
To the members of the “Flat Earth Society” who are posting here, the first consumer tape recorders sold for around $5,000 and the first dvd recorders around $2,300. Use common sense; the cost of these things will drop appreciably as the region progresses. The exception being Chesapeake, who still studying the problem of letting horseless buggies drive on the dirt roads
It's their money..
and they are free to spend it any way they see fit. It's debatable that they'll ever break even, their present $300 monthly bill will no doubt go up in time, so whatever savings they realize will still mean that their break even point keeps getting pushed farther and farther into the future. Plus, they don't know yet what any repair costs may be if these things should require them. But, good for them, let them have at it!
The payback time is longet than stated
By buying the 'beaters, the money is spent now so it cannot be invested in an income producing manner. Thus he is losing in investment income about the same amount he is saving, unless maintenance is required in which probable case he is even worse off.
Invest the money now and spend it when technology provides better solutions.
Obviously, the guy didn't
Obviously, the guy didn't have a financial hardship when deciding on this venture. He's making an effort to reduce his footprint and reliance on the grid. Why not applaud him for his efforts. If I could afford it, I'd do it in a heartbeat. Sometimes it's about critical mass and less about the almighty dollar.
ROI for homeowners for wind power will never match
Hyperion Power Module. $25M for the unit powering 10k households = $250 for 7-10 years worth of power. Now that's affordable power!
Research the units construction and safety before replying please.