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small wind
Success Stories
Customer
Interviews
Kern County, CA
Ridgecrest (Kern County), CA - Tom and Angela Rhamy decided that electricity had become too expensive during the power crisis of 2001, so they bought a combination wind/solar energy system and started generating their own. When conditions are good their meter spins backward, cutting their power bills to half what they used to be.
The Rhamys, who own a 2,000-square foot home and keep an office in the barn behind the house, have joined the ranks of homeowners discovering that small-scale wind systems are a viable alternative to high power bills. They took advantage of state incentives designed to encourage the installation of home generating systems, receiving a state tax credit and a rebate from the California Energy Commission that covered half the cost of their machine. Their system went online in May 2002 and should pay for itself within five to seven years.
The Rhamys found plenty of information available from the American Wind Energy Association, Home Power Magazine, and state resources such as California’s “Green Team” video conferences and the California Energy Commission. Their turbine dealer gave them the information they needed to approach the county building inspector, who approved a permit for the system that same day.
Kern County allows towers up to 80 feet high in most zoning districts, so no special permitting was required. “It was very simple,” says Tom Rhamy.
Connecting their generator to the utility’s system was also a straightforward process. Southern California Edison sent the Rhamys a blank contract that included a net metering agreement and other interconnection requirements. The Rhamys filled in specific information about their system, and the utility sent a completed contract for them to sign.
Small wind turbine installations are not this easy in all California counties, but the Rhamys’ experience shows the widespread acceptance that residential renewable power systems have earned in recent years.
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