| Man has long used the power of the wind to propel | | | | every home and business in town at the current level |
| ships, pump water, and power gristmills for grinding | | | | for 25 years. |
| grains. Now this abundant and free natural energy is | | | | The local landowners who lease the land the windmills |
| being put to another use, producing electricity. | | | | are located on are happy for more than just the |
| Green energy from the sun and wind are free, | | | | reduction in their power bills. Land owners are paid |
| renewable energy sources that are being explored as | | | | anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000 a year for the half |
| alternative energy sources all over the world. But one | | | | acre of property surrounding each turbine. That is |
| small town in the United States actually runs entirely | | | | more than they could earn growing soybeans or corn. |
| off of wind power. | | | | The uncertainty of energy prices has more people |
| Rural Rock Port, Missouri uses 4 wind turbines to | | | | across the world becoming more involved in using |
| produce all of the city's electrical power. The turbines | | | | solar and wind power to produce electricity. In the |
| now power every computer, every appliance and | | | | future we will have no other option but to make better |
| every light in town, even the only traffic light on Main | | | | use of our natural energy resources. The advantages |
| Street, making this city of 1,300 the first and only in the | | | | of using natural energy as a means of producing clean |
| nation to run completely on wind power. | | | | and renewable energy can no longer afford to be |
| The wind turbines are projected to produce 16 million | | | | ignored. |
| kilowatt hours of electricity every year, which is | | | | Many homeowners are discovering that building a |
| actually 3 million kilowatt hours more than the city | | | | home windmill is an excellent way to reduce their |
| expects to need. | | | | energy costs. Clean efficient energy from the wind is |
| The company that contracted with the city to build and | | | | being used in more homes every year in an effort to |
| install the turbines expect that the electrical output they | | | | lower electricity costs and reduce dependence on the |
| provide will be enough to keep the electricity bills for | | | | utility companies. |