What effect will alternative energy have on the planet?

Adding an additional power source to your home or even replacing a traditional gas or electric system with solar panels or wind turbines is an alternative for many homeowners today.
Installing Solar or Wind power units for your home can not only help save you dollars on your heating and electric bills, but help save the planet. As more and more people use greener solutions for energy production in the household, it is creating a more sustainable ecology for the world.
One of the options that many people are looking into is building your own windmill or wind power system. The DIY or do it yourself models have been big sellers and are quite popular, as they provide the means to getting your own home wind power but also can save on the cost significantly as well.
The range of the cost varies greatly and can be anywhere from several hundred dollars to over $20,000 for a particular system, depending on your needs.
It all depends on how much energy you are using and where your home is and the environment of your area in particular. In a very urban and crowded area it will not be as effective as it would in a rural and more open environment as the city and urban areas tend to limit the amount of energy that can be created by such windmill units.
Very rarely, if ever, do these home wind turbines generate enough power to eliminate the need for gas and oil, but they can reduce your bills and also lower your carbon footprint significantly, which is important to many as well as saving money.