The Federal Tax Credit for Home Wind Has Ended
What changed
The federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) used to return 30% of what a homeowner spent on a small wind turbine. It does not apply to spending after December 31, 2025. TurbinePayback therefore assumes no federal credit anywhere. Confirm your own situation with a tax professional or the IRS.
What the credit used to do
Take 30% off the $100,000 installed cost and a turbine would pay back inside its life in 444 counties, against 50 without it. The credit never changed the answer in most of the country: where the wind is light, even a 30% discount leaves a payback longer than the machine lasts. Two of the counties it would have tipped over the line are Essex County, MA and Nome Census Area, AK.
What may still help
Some states, utilities and rural programmes still offer grants or rebates for small wind, and farms and rural businesses can look at USDA programmes for renewable systems. These change often and differ by location, so check your state energy office and your utility before getting quotes, and recalculate with the actual amount offered.
The fastest payback today
Without any credit, the quickest payback in the country is Honolulu County, HI, at 8 years. How the power price moves that answer is in what power price makes it pay; the cost assumptions are in how the numbers are made.