August 17, 2008 NH couple erects wind turbine to power home Play video

(Josh Brogadir, NECN) - It towers 82 feet above a flower garden and barn, is made of marine grade steel, with blades 30 feet in diameter. But what's most impressive to Harlow and Barbara Carpenter of Kensington, New Hampshire is not the sight of their new wind turbine.

It's that it provides clean renewable energy - enough to power most of their sprawling home and surrounding property.

"What we've done to our environment is so horrendous. We can (afford to) do this and it's important that people who can do things like this do them. It is really is," Barbara Carpenter said. "We've done horrible damage and it's time to start to turn it around. I don't think we'll be able to but we need to try."

The 15 kilowatt wind turbine was built in Scotland and installed over 10 days by Nexamp, the North Andover, Massachusetts-based energy solutions company that put 80 yards of concrete in the ground to help keep the turbine in place.

"This is the first residential 15 kilowatt (wind turbine) in the world outside the U.K.," Nexamp Vice President Will Thompson said.

The Carpenters unveiled the windmill Saturday to a gathering of friends who ducked under a tent to avoid the raindrops.
Even on a day where the weather is not cooperating with the party, the windmill does work. It takes a five mile per hour wind gust to get it going and convert that into energy..

And here's basically how it

"On a very windy night when the lights are out and theoretically the Carpenters aren't using much electricity, electricity will be being produced but the Carpenters won't need it. During those periods, the electricity will flow out of the home and the meter will go backwards thereby giving the Carpenters a credit of electricity," Thompson said.

We asked the Carpenters if neighbors are concerned about noise or what the windmill looks like. Their simple answer: no.
Many even came to the reception welcoming the newest - and most visible - addition to the neighborhood.

"This sweet neighbor who's just coming in now was worried about the sound. She can't see it, she's right across the street. And she can't hear it. She was worried that it would be very noisy," Barbara Carpenter said. "All the other neighbors are very for it. They're all here and in fact, two neighbors now, are going to put them up because of the result of this one. They're very happy."

"And the town is for it too," Harlow Carpenter added.

Thompson commented that not anyone would have the space for this type of windmill. Land is needed just in case the windmill were to topple over, 30 feet of clearance above trees is needed for the blades to turn, plus it is cost prohibitive. This windmill's price tag was close to six figures.

NECN's Josh Brogadir has the story in the video player above.