The initial cost to set up your own small wind-generating power system  to power up your home is fairly high,  but it is a good and wise investment. After a short time, you will recoup your investment because there will be no electricity bills arriving for you from the local electric company. It is empowering to be energy-independent and to be reducing your carbon footprint at the same time.

Electricity and fuel bills are rising steeply— but the cost of wind turbine energy is next-to-nothing. The cost of installing and hooking up a turbine is steadily decreasing as demand rises and the companies manufacturing the turbines and generators are becoming more efficient.

People are also choosing to move away from the traditional electric grids and the fossil fuels for many reasons:

	concerns about the environment
	political concerns such as fears of terrorist strikes on oil fields or power grids
	desire for greater independence
	the desire to live remotely or rurally without having to forego creature comforts
	desire reduce their carbon footprint
	desire to save money as on-grid energy costs continue to rise

At the time of writing, in the US, in nearly thirty states (and the number is rising), homeowners who remain on the grid but also choose to use alternative energy forms such as wind power or solar power as well are eligible for rebates or tax breaks from the state governments. These rebates 'subsidize' by as much as 50% the cost of their  “green” energy systems.

In addition, most states allow these homeowners to sell their excess energy back to the power company under what is called “net metering laws”. The rates that they are paid by the local power companies for this energy are standard retail rates—in other words, the homeowners are actually profiting from their own energy production.

Some federal lawmakers are pushing to get the federal government to mandate these tax breaks and other wind power incentives in all 50 states.

Japan and Germany already have national incentive programs in place.

There is some grumbling on the part of the power companies who feel that it is 'unfair' that they should have to pay retail rates to private individuals.

“We should [only have to] pay you the wholesale rate for ... your electricity,” according to Bruce Bowen, Pacific Gas & Electric's director of regulatory policy.

However, these companies seem to be more worried about losing short-term profits than about the benefits, especially long-term ones, of the increased use of wind turbines and wind farms. 

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