Mother Nature Can Save You Money on Your Electric Bill

WYTV   May 4, 2009

A Beaver township family wants to harness the power of the wind, and pave the way for the use of wind turbines here in the Valley.

After switching from a propane to an electric furnace last fall, the Naples of Beaver Township saw a significant increase in their energy bill.  According to Anne Marie Naples, "Nine-hundred dollars for an all electric home.  We're about 2500 square feet here and we like to keep it a little bit warm, and honestly, we were shocked at the price."

Phillip Naples added, "When we first got our electric bill, real heavy one, that's when we decided, okay, we have to do something about this."  So they turned to mother nature for some help.  They had so much wind out there and decided to take advantage of it.   

They're doing just that by building a 45 foot tall wind turbine.  The cost of the tower comes in at $16,000, but the Naples qualified for a 50% grant from the state and will also receive a 30% renewable energy tax credit from the federal government.

After the initial investment, they should cut their monthly electric bill in half.  Greg Courtney with Wind Turbines of Ohio is helping them achieve this goal.  "The turbine has, should go 20-25 years without any maintenance what-so-ever.  Once it's up and running, it's up and running."

However, before that happens, the Naples need Beaver Township and Mahoning County to give them the okay.  There's currently no local zoning laws regarding wind turbines.  Phillip Naples said, "They're going through the process because it's not on the books, so it's taking them a while to put it in the books and get it written out."

They meet with township officials to work out the details next week.