Illinois electricity costs are going up much faster than the national average. But, you can insulate your family or business from surging electric rates by installing your own wind power generator.

The best part is the State could pay for up to half of it!

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), is now soliciting grant applications for up to 50% of the cost of installing a small wind system. This is one of the best clean energy incentive programs in the country.The grants are offered on a first-come, first-served basis and grant applications are due April 30, 2007.

With a DCEO grant, the payback may be in as little as 7 -10 years! But, remember, you will be paying the money anyway - to the utility company. Financially, buying a home wind system is vastly superior to just purchasing all your electricity from the power company. It's like the difference between renting a home and buying a home. So, rather than calling it a pay back period, it would be more accurate to call it a payment transfer period. At the end you have free electricity.

A small wind system will provide you with a return on your investment of 10 - 20% - tax-free - depending on your usage and wind resource. This is equivalent to a 14% - 28% return on a taxable investment! Compare that to 4% from a money market account, 5% from a long-term CD, or negative earnings from mutual funds over the last few years.

A small wind system really helps the environment! Over its minimum 30 year operating life, a Bergey residential/farm wind system in Illinois will save approximately 430,000 pounds of carbon dioxide, 3,000 pounds of sulfur dioxide, and 1,000 pounds of nitrogen dioxide that would have been produced by the utility's fossil fuel power plants. It is the equivalent of planting 2 acres of trees or taking 1.25 vehicles off the road.

Modest wind resources are fine for small wind systems. Wind resources are sufficient in most parts of Illinois. In some places they are excellent. See the map connection below to determine your wind resource.