Would you object to this 35 ft. WINDMILL in your neighborhood?

Question

...if you knew it was saving your neighbor over $300 per month on his ENERGY BILL?

(before answering) VIEW THE VIDEO:
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2007/07/28/acosta.nj.windmill.fight.cnn

Isn't this one of the solutions to our ENERGY problems we're all looking for?

Perhaps there's some noise associated with the Windmill, but would you begrudge your neighbor from having this?
Or, would you look into have one of your own installed?

Could this be (one of) America's energy-solutions?

@ missfb_21
Yes, no doubt there is some noise...
but, aren't we at point in our quest for alternate energy sources where we need to make some "concessions" for the betterment of the environment and the huge price we pay for our energy?

Answer 1

I certainly wouldn't begrudge someone in my neighborhood having their own windmill, if they want to invest in one. If the noise is a problem, then have him turn it off at night when he doesn't need the power anyway! The claim that it's an eyesore is just absurd.

From what I've read, small house-sized windmills such as this one will only provide about 5% of a home's energy needs. The one comment of Evita's I agree with is that the large number of solar panels on his roof are likely providing much more power than his windmill. Nevertheless, 5% natural renewable energy is better than 0%. The more windmills, the better.

Answer 2

This story said the guy has enough leftover generating capacity to sell it back to the"local grid". So that tells me he's just being an attention mongering azzhole, drumming up customers to sell windmills to. I've read enough about windmills and solar panels to immediately recognize that he is getting a LOT more power from those solar panels than a single windmill.

I didn't really see anything that objectionable looks wise, but I asked a real estate appraiser who supports windmills about this sort of situation recently, and he told me that neighborhood property values would go down because the windmill is an after the fact addition that is fundamentally there only to benefit that single property owner.

By the way, actor Ed Begley has a much more attractive cylindrical wind generator on his roof, the price is $3000 for about 500 watts. Any takers? Wind power might not be as cheap and free as its made out to be.

The straight dope about wind power is that it essentially takes a small village of windmills to power a medium size village of homes. Proponents of wind power are not really aware of what they're advocating in terms of land use if the goal is to make a major impact on GW or oil imports. Windmills aren't going to go much beyond a large niche share of the power generation action, but we will see situations like this played out for several years until people decide to get with the program on the real deal: nuclear power.

Answer 3

I aint no eco wacko but Im all for saving a buck and getting of the grid as much as possible. Ive watched your video, I find the mill no more obtrusive than a power pole or aTV antenna.
Ive been around some windmills the type shown arnt at all noisy if constructed right.
This is more the case of a ****** neighbor with idle time on his hands.

Answer 4

I think it's brilliant!!! Whats wrong with someone using his brains to save on energy bills. We should all be thinking of installing one. I would have no objection to any of my neighbours having a windmill, go for it.

Answer 5

The junior grand poo-bah of the environmental wacko crowd, Bobby Kennedy, hired lawyers to stop a windmill project in his neighborhood. And it was miles away.

The senior grand poo-bah Al Gore would need hundreds of those just for his own McMansion electric use.

Answer 6

one person object to a windmill near on the owners house because its an eye sore!? well i dont think a heavy smog pollution would look any better would it?

Answer 7

I think that anything that gatherers energy and does not pollute is a good thing I would have no problem with that in my back yard.

Answer 8

Wow, that is something else. Of course it would not bother me. I think the neighbors are a bunch of crybabies if they don't like it. Or work for Exxon.

Answer 9

I think it'd be really helpful, especially with all the environmental issues these days. I wouldn't mind, and I actually would look into getting one myself.

Answer 10

I wouldn't mind it..I'm looking in to getting solar panels for my home