Skystream News from Southwest Windpower

Skystream® Before & After: A Full Year of Electric Bills

BOVINA, Texas - Dottie Neal of UseTheWind tells us: "I did some homework and in 2006 our electric costs were $3528.12 and in 2007 they were $1585.84. We saved $1942.28 in 2007. That is a Wow for me. Our turbine was put up on January 17, 2006 and we were down a month because of some problems...Not bad huh? It looks like 5.5 years to pay off our turbine. We have a second pad for another one."

See Dottie's electric bill numbers

Illinois Man Makes His Own Electricity

From the Quad City Times

COAL VALLEY, Ill. - A strong wind blows across a high, open field on Stan Arnold's 75-acre farm. Atop a 33-foot pole, the wind catches the blades of a turbine, spinning them like a pinwheel, creating a whirring sound something like that of a distant siren. It's a happy sound for Stan and Nancy Arnold because it means they are saving money on their utility bill.

Read article

7 Tips to Cut Your Winter Heating Bills

Adapted from the Energy Star website

1. Seal and Insulate Your Home

A good way to reduce energy bills and increase winter comfort is to seal holes, cracks and openings in your home and add insulation to keep in heat.

Weather-strip and insulate your attic hatch or door.
Any hole that leads from the house to a basement, crawl space or attic can waste energy. Cover and seal them with spray foam and rigid foam board if necessary.
Seal holes with caulk or spray foam where pipes, wires, and vents enter or exit your home.
Caulk and weather-strip window frames and door frames inside and out.

Consult the US EPA's Home Sealing Do-It-Yourself Guide PDF (1.79MB).

2. Heat More Efficiently

When your heating system is working at top performance and the ducts are delivering air to your rooms efficiently, you will be more comfortable and save money.

Replace the furnace air filter before the heating season begins.
If your furnace or boiler is more than 15 years old, consider ENERGY STAR qualified equipment to help save on energy bills.
Seal heating duct seams with foil tape with a UL-181 label (this label is very important) or duct mastic or duct sealant.
If you have any ducts that run into the attic or through a cold basement or crawl space, be sure the ducts are well insulated.
Set back your thermostat when you're asleep or away. Use a programmable thermostat with temperature and time settings to save $100 each year.

Consult the US EPA's Guide to Energy-Efficient Heating and Cooling PDF (2.6MB)

3. Save on Lighting

Lighting can represent 20 percent of home electricity bills and is one of the easiest places to start saving energy. CFLs cost far less to buy than they did just a few years ago, last for years, and cut lighting electric use by two-thirds.

Replace the five most frequently used bulbs with CFLs and save more than $60 each year in energy costs.
If you're using compact fluorescents and will be gone for more than 15 minutes, turn off the lights. Turn off incandescent bulbs any time you don't need them.

4. Power Down Computers and Electronics

Computers and other electronics often use energy even when switched off.

Activate your computer's power management features, so it powers down when sitting idle.
Unplug battery chargers and power adapters when not in use.
Use a power strip and turn it off at bedtime.

5. Save on Water Heating

Water heating is the third-biggest home-energy cost and typically accounts for 14%-20% of your energy bill. Hot water jackets only cost $10 to $20 and keep more heat in the heater. Put your hot water heater on a timer so it turns off after everyone's showered. Properly scheduled turn-off times can save up to 20 hours of energy use.

6. Leave Breathing Room for Your Refrigerator

An efficient fridge uses less electricity to keep a constant cold temperature. To help your fridge run more efficiently, leave room in the back and on the top for air to circulate.

7. Buy More Efficient Appliances

Many of us don't like to fix what's not broken. But when it comes to old appliances, a new purchase can pay for itself in energy savings. New Energy Star refrigerators use 40% less energy than a standard model and save much more compared to older models.

Learn about all sorts of efficient appliances

Produce Your Own Energy

With today's technology, small wind power is finally within reach. Typical Skystream installations cost between $12,000-$15,000 US, and rebates and incentives reduce that cost significantly in some areas.

Find out more: contact your local Skystream dealer

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1801 W. Route 66 \| Flagstaff, AZ 86001