Rancher types can say “blow me” to their electric bills, installing windmills that snag them federal tax credits that help them generate their own electricity.

A Fort Worth Star-Telegram trend story says Texans are jumping in on the phenomenon since the old $4,000 cap is gone with the wind. Lower-end 1-kilowatt generator turbines are typically about $7,500 installed, and can yield big savings, the story says:

James Paraey, an architect in Argyle, put up a 1-kilowatt turbine in March at his vacation home in Coleman, 175 miles southwest of Fort Worth. He said his electric costs have been cut in half.

“We want our place to be as green as possible,” Paraey said. “And it was about as complicated as putting up a flagpole.”

Thirty percent of the start-up costs are eligible for the tax credit, and the rigs typically slash $50 a month of electric bills. The windmill pays for itself in less than a decade, a distributor in the story says. But wind turbines pay for themselves sevenfold in adorability the moment they’re erected.

The Savvy Consumer: With wind turbines, saving money can be a breeze [Fort Worth Star-Telegram]
(Photo: winteridge2)

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