Question About Selling Wind Power

stophboy7
stophboy7 Registered Users Posts: 1
in Wind Power Generation #1
I would like to set up wind generators and sell the power to whichever electric company is the easiest/or will pay the most for it. How simple is finding a buyer? If my local electric company doesn't do it or pays too low, can I shop around - even in other states? Information seems very limited unless you are signing a huge PPA or something along those lines. Is there anyone with experience doing this on this forum that could point me in the right direction? Thank you!
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  • unseenone
    unseenone Solar Expert Posts: 61 ✭
    #2
    Are we talking Kilowatts or Megawatts? This is probably gong to depend on the local utility and what they allow. This may vary for an Individual vs operating as a power provider. When I looked at it in TX where I live, I discovered no matter how I slice it, I could generate as much power as I wanted and earn credits against usage. At the end of the year, the power company zeros your balance and says duck you, very much. There was no simple way to actually earn any money. I know it's possible somehow, that is going to be dependent on those factors.

    I'd suggest checking your local utilities power and solar section, and if nothing is there, try calling someone there.
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  • boB
    boB Solar Expert Posts: 1,032 ✭✭✭✭
    #3
    If they won't pay you for the energy, at least you might be able to reduce your bill... That is, if you can make enough energy worth helping out your consumption.
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  • Ethan Brush
    Ethan Brush Solar Expert Posts: 235 ✭✭
    #4
    stophboy7 wrote: »
    I would like to set up wind generators and sell the power to whichever electric company is the easiest/or will pay the most for it. How simple is finding a buyer? If my local electric company doesn't do it or pays too low, can I shop around - even in other states? Information seems very limited unless you are signing a huge PPA or something along those lines. Is there anyone with experience doing this on this forum that could point me in the right direction? Thank you!

    Typically after you meet your consumption, the utility will only pay you wholesale cost which is quite low. You will never make money making power to sell with renewable energy unless you do it on a very large scale and get the right package of tax credits subsidies and grants. My wind turbine (off grid) makes what feels like so much energy when the wind is blowing its like a miracle, but equate it to KWH and actually dollars at typical utility rates and......well just do yourself a favor and never calculate that out ;)
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  • peakbagger
    peakbagger Solar Expert Posts: 341 ✭✭✭
    #5
    There is no standard answer as every state and sometimes utility has a different set of incentives rules an regulations to jump through. A start is this webpage which will point you to rules and regulations for renewables in your state

    http://www.dsireusa.org/

    Selling power to anyone other than your local utility is not practical unless you are building MW output system and if you were you wouldn't be asking questions on an internet forum. At best your utility will treat your wind like any other renewable and possibly may buy your surplus output. In most areas, the rate is quite low but in others that have renewable portfolio standard it my be lucrative. If it is profitable, there will be plenty of folks in line ahead of you to grab the enhanced rates while they last as they inevitably get overt subscribed.
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  • JoshK
    JoshK Solar Expert Posts: 232 ✭✭
    #6
    Ethan Brush wrote: »

    ....dollars at typical utility rates and......well just do yourself a favor and never calculate that out ;)

    So true. It's good to see someone with a grasp on real numbers. I'm so tired of people I meet having opinions on how global power generation should work without any grasp on the numbers.
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