To the editor:
Especially during these warm summer months, we're all keeping an eye on our rising electric bills. Today I write to bring to your readers' attention federal legislation that will help homeowners save money on ever-increasing electric bills.
In the next few weeks, the house and senate will vote on the Small Wind Investment Tax Credit (S. 673 and H.R. 1772). This legislation will make small-scale wind energy more affordable for American homeowners. As the general manager of Residential Wind Power Inc., I help fellow residents of Ottertail and other surrounding counties power their homes with wind energy and save money on their energy bills. Your readers may have noticed small-scale turbines, like the new Skystream 3.7, pop up around the county in the past few months.
These small-scale wind turbines help homeowners add predictability to ever-increasing electric costs. I like asking prospective wind power owners, "Why rent your power production when you can buy it?" In the past, homeowners had few options for buying energy. They bought power from the local utility and watched rates go up year after year. Other options were simply too expensive. But times have changed. Today, new technologies give homeowners more choice in how they power their homes. No longer dependent on others for electricity, homeowners can now produce their own clean, renewable energy right in their backyard.
I encourage your readers to join me in supporting legislation that will make small wind more affordable. Currently no federal support exists for small-scale wind systems. (This is a curious fact given all other wind and solar power systems benefit from federal rebates). The proposed legislation would provide $1,500 per ½ kilowatt of capacity for small wind systems under 100 kilowatts (kW) of capacity.
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I invite your readers to email our Senators Norm Coleman and Amy Klobuchar and their local representative, asking them to vote for the Small Wind Investment Tax Credit. Please visit the American Wind Energy Association's legislative action website at http://capwiz.com/windenergy/home/ .
Let's do something to benefit our local economy - homeowners, farmers and small businesses - and to also move our country one step closer to energy independence.
Daniel L. Mattfeld
General Manager, Residential Wind Power Inc.
New York Mills
