Electric cooperation

The electric companies in the region allow people with wind turbines to connect their systems into their grids.

AEP buys back any extra power generated by a turbine and not used by the landowner for between 3 1/2 and 4 cents per kilowatt hour, Clark said.

"It offsets the costs and capital investments we have to put in at this time," she said. "Then the customer maintains control and ownership of the facilities. The customer is becoming more involved in their electric bill."

Ohio's electric cooperatives all work together through Buckeye Power. They allow customers to tie in their own power generators, but local cooperative officials have a less rosy picture on wind power.

"It just doesn't pan out," says Matt Berry, manager of customer and community relations for Midwest Electric Inc. in St. Marys, which serves large chunks of Auglaize and Allen counties. "It's very expensive and very unreliable. People are better off putting their money in energy efficiency."

Mid-Ohio Energy Cooperative, which serves portions of Allen, Auglaize, Hancock, Hardin, Logan and four other counties, has one wind turbine on the system currently and has two more coming online soon, said Tim Street, director of communications and member services.

"I always reference back to the ethanol big craze," Street said. "The government said it would subsidize ethanol down to the price of gasoline. It's doing just the opposite when it comes to renewable. They're basically prohibiting or taxing the energy we have, with natural gas, coal and other sources, and raising it up to the cost of renewables to make them competitive. It's a shame. It's not a win-win for the consumer."

Interest in the air

People interested in installing wind turbines say they remain intrigued by the possibilities.

"It'd be nice to see the meter looping the other way," said Melissa Pepple, who shares a home near Waynesfield with her husband, Dave.

With the constant wind at their farm, the duo who teach at Perry see possibilities.

"There's quite a bit of initial cost," Dave Pepple said. "But when you start factoring in the possible grants and how long it may or may not take to pay back, it seems like something that could be feasible."

For some people, it's not even about earning the money back in their lifetimes, Carder said. He recalled a conversation with a longtime farmer near Bluffton. For that farmer, the goal was independence more than financial payback.

"I talked to a guy today, 77 years old, retired, with a family farm that has been in his family a long time," Carder said. "Is he going to see a payback? Probably not, and I told him that. He doesn't care. He doesn't even care if he gets a grant.

"He said, 'I want to stick it to them. I'm giving this place to my kids. I just want a turbine. I want to see my meter spinning backwards.' And that's the God's honest truth."

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