GOING GREEN? Thousands of people have been empowered not only to save money and energy but also to conserve our plant resources for future generations.

There are countless reasons why more and more smart people are deciding to go for wind power. Just to keep things simple for everyone, here are five valuable reasons that may encourage you of the many benefits of going solar

Free Energy

• Electricity generated by the wind does not emit CO2 or leave any waste. Wind is also an infinite resource that cannot be exhausted.

• A small home wind turbine – when installed properly and in the right location – can cut your reliance on traditional fossil fuel resources.

• If you install a home wind turbine, you can earn money through the feed in tariff (FIT) for every kilowatt of electricity you produce.

• Wind turbines rely on simple mechanical processes. Once the wind turbine is up and running, there are few running costs.

• Large-scale wind farms can be built at sea to exploit the UK's abundant offshore wind flow without cluttering the landscape.

Disadvantage

• The Energy Saving Trust (EST) has concluded that fewer sites than previously thought are suitable for wind technology

• Both small and large-scale wind energy installations may require planning permission – contact your council before you start work

• Wind turbine costs are high. A small 1kW roof-mounted turbine can cost up to £3,000 installed and fitted

• While domestic wind turbines require little maintenance, the inverter is likely to need replacing during the lifetime of the turbine, at a cost of hundreds
  of pounds

• The amount of electricity generated is dependent on the speed and direction of the wind. The wind speed itself depends on a number of factors, such as location within the UK, height of the turbine and whether there are any nearby obstructions

• Many people dislike the appearance and sound of wind turbines in the landscape, although noise pollution is less significant for micro-wind turbines

• Anti-wind farm groups argue that wind farms damage habitats and harm birds and marine ecology

• Wind is an unpredictable energy source and requires the backup of more traditional and polluting methods of energy generation