Is it possible to use wind energy for everything?

[john]

Well you must be wondering sometimes if you had a wind turbine installed on your property, would it be possible for that to be your only source of energy? I'm including electricity, water, and heat.

Now according to a source, it depends on where you live. Like solar it can't be counted on 24/7, so you would have to have a storage system of some sort, and would have to be in an area with very reliable wind currents.

I think a system that is still tied to the grid is the most practical and most cost efficient. You don't need a storage system so you save money. Most grid tied systems allow you to sell back the excess electricity you create, so it is much more efficient. Since you can draw from the grid when you aren't producing or when your need exceeds production you won't have to worry about not having electricity.

[ryan]

I don't think it is feasible for the following reasons -

1. They're very expensive to build. The average turbine will not pay for itself for 15 years.

2. They're not efficient, and therefore can never account for more than a few percentage points of the energy we need.

3. They pollute the beauty of the the surroundings.

All told, they look "green," and for that reason, a lot of people feel good about them. But really, they're just not practical.