Wind and Solar power - What are my choices

Hi

Please read everything below so you can have a great idea about everything to do with wind and solar power.
If you're interested in doing something like this for yourself

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PROS:

Solar panels give off no pollution, the only pollution produced as a result of solar panels is the manufacturing of these devices in factories, transportation of the goods, and installation.
The production of energy from the use of fossil and some renewable fuels (e.g. wind turbines) can be noisy, yet solar energy produces electricity very quietly.
One of the great pros of solar energy is the ability to harness electricity in remote locations that are not linked to a national grid. A prime example of this is in space, where satellites are powered by high efficiency solar cells.
The installation of solar panels in remote locations is usually much more cost effective than laying the required high voltage wires.
Solar energy can be very efficient in a large area of the globe, and new technologies allow for a more efficient energy production on overcast/dull days.
Solar panels can be installed on top of many rooftops, which eliminates the problem of finding the required space for solar panel placement.
Another great pro of solar energy is the cost. Although the initial investment of solar cells may be high, once installed, they provide a free source of electricity, which will pay off over the coming years.
The use of solar energy to produce electricity allows the user to become less dependent on the worlds fossil fuel supplies.

Now, all that sounds great and you have probably heard it all before and you probably noticed that is the pros for solar power in general, not specific to you.
The main things you want to identify is that, although it can be quite costly to instal intially you will make that money back over the course of a couple of years, while at the same time making clean, efficient energy that releases no emmissions at all - all from your own back yard!

CONS:

The major con of solar energy is the initial cost of solar cells. Currently, prices of highly efficient solar cells can be above $1000, and some households may need more than one. This makes the initial installation of solar panels very costly.
Solar energy is only able to generate electricity during daylight hours. This means for around half of each day, solar panels are not producing energy for your home.
The weather can affect the efficiency of solar cells.
Pollution can be a con of solar energy, as pollution levels can affect a solar cells efficiency, this would be a major con for businesses or industry wishing to install solar panels in heavily polluted areas, such as cities.

Above is the list of many solar energy pros and cons, and although not definitive, you can see how the number of pros relating to solar energy, greatly outweighs the cons of solar energy, so I would definately recommend at least looking into it.

PROS:

The use of wind turbines does not generate pollution or radioactive waste like most other forms of electricity generation do. Their construction and installation has less environmental impact as well.
Wind power may be used to provide electricity to individual homes or other facilities on a self-reliant basis, with no need for fuel or other materials to be supplied. If a natural disaster severs power lines, residents with windmills will not lose their supply of electricity.
Wind can also generate power for large numbers of people, using larger turbines connected to an electrical grid. This allows individuals to take advantage of some of their benefits without personally owning or maintaining the equipment.
Another one of its advantages is that this type of power generation does not consume any non-renewable resources, like coal, natural gas, or oil. Thus, it won't contribute to their eventual depletion, nor does it promote environmental harm brought about by obtaining these resources.

Now I realise many people don't want a huge wind turbine in their back yard or attached to their house but smaller wind turbines can still generate sufficient electricity to help you in your everyday life. For instance you can have a very small one that you can build your self for hardly any cost (as long as you are handly in DIY) that can recharge batteries.

Now why wouldnt that be useful.

CONS:

Some people consider the turbines to have an undesirable appearance, especially when there are very tall units and/or large groups of them. The same could be said for coal or nuclear power plants, but these are concentrated into a smaller number of facilities.
Another of the disadvantages is that they can be damaged in thunderstorms, partially because of their tall, thin shape. The website of the National Lightning Safety Institute indicates that most damage to wind turbines is caused by lightening. This is more of a problem in warmer parts of the world, where they are frequent.
The blades of wind turbines can hit birds who attempt to fly between them. However, it should be kept in mind that birds are also affected by the disadvantages of other power generation methods, especially pollution.
Some turbines produce noise; according to a white paper issued by the University of Massachusetts at Amherst Renewable Energy Research Laboratory, noise varies from one turbine to the next, and is more likely to be problematic when the wind speed is low.

OVERALL

Basically, wind power has a number of advantages and provides an inexpensive, self-reliant method of generating electricity with relatively little maintenance. However, there are some disadvantages with regard to birds, thunderstorms, and the appearance of turbines. It is not always windy, so a combination of solar and/or hydroelectric with wind power can provide a more consistent supply of renewable energy.

Now, a form of wind power that many of you will not have heard of will be wind belt technology.

That is because it is relatively new and so far pretty unkown territory.

It works on the idea that if a belt of material is pulled tight and wind blown over it, it will vibrate, and this vibration can be turned into power.

If you want a more indepth look at this why not check out this link - http://thefutureofthings.com/news/1027/windbelt-technology-good-vibrations.html