Hook Your Wind Machine to the Grid

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Business applications: There's a federal 15% renewable-energy tax credit for businesses that install wind machines to serve their enterprises' electrical needs. In addition, if enough of the power produced from a residential system goes to the utility grid, the owner may be considered to be in the business of producing electricity. This can be ticklish for small systems connected in series, but all parallel connected systems should qualify as power-producing businesses.

The federal government also provides a 10% investment tax credit. This can trim yet another 10% off the taxes paid by a business. And the Internal Revenue Service allows wind systems to be depreciated over a five-year period (under Accelerated Cost Recovery), which means that a percentage of the machine's cost can be deducted from business income each year over a five-year period.

THE ENERGY FUTURE

Researchers think that the cost of electricity will continue to rise at a rate of 15 to 30% annually, once the current leveling in cost has passed. They also suggest that another major energy crisis can be expected in the 1990's. Thus, the development of wind energy, wherever it's practical, is vital to both our personal and national well-being.

At present, the tax and utility interconnection incentives are crucial to the feasibility of wind-energy systems. Unfortunately, the renewable-energy tax credit is due to expire in 1985. And, as of this writing, a renewal bill has failed to make its way through Congress. If you'd like to develop your own wind system in the next few years, you may want to contact your representatives and senators and urge them to support a continuation of these incentives.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Readers who are interested in developing wind systems for far less than the going commercial rate may want to build their own small DC plants by using plans developed by Marshall Price. These machines can produce DC power to be used independently from the utility; or, with the proper synchronous inverter, the electricity can be tempered and sold to the power company. The plans are available for $15—plus $1.00 shipping and handling—from Mother's Plans, P.0. Box A, East Flat Rock, NC 28726.

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