Carroll County commissioners unanimously approved an amendment to zoning ordinances yesterday — one that will allow homeowners to install small wind turbines in their yards.

Residents began calling the county last year with questions about installing the turbines. Because the issue wasn’t addressed in the current ordinance, the commissioners began working toward the creation of a policy.

A wind turbine system of the approved size typically costs around $10,000 to install. But the best part? The homeowner can request permission to connect to the grid and sell back any excess generated power. Everybody wins. For anyone interested in more information, the Maryland Energy Administration provides a consumer guide to wind power on their website.

The ordinance is the first of its kind in the state. Let’s hope that other counties follow suit.

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