Cost of Materials

• If you combine your solar and wind power systems, you can help to offset some of the costs associated with storing and converting electricity. Most systems utilize a series of deep-cycle batteries to store the electricity and an AC converter to convert the Direct Current into Alternating Current, which is the form of electricity used by most home appliances. As part of your system, you will also need to have a grid tie-in from your breaker box, which should be done by a licensed electrician. The costs of the battery, AC converter, and installation by the electrician can be mitigated somewhat if you have more electricity coming into your system, which will mean an increased payback period for those parts of the system.
  
  

Weather Patterns

• If you live in a place where clouds tend to gather, such as in a valley surrounded by mountains or on the northwest, a solar system by itself may not be the best option. Combining two or more alternative energy systems, such as solar and wind can help to mitigate cloudy days, when the Sun is not shining as brightly and energy production by the photo-voltaic cells is decreased. Additionally, storms that bring clouds also tend to bring stronger winds, which could mean that supplementing your solar system with wind power could be even more beneficial.
  
  

Startup Cost

• In addition to the cost of some of the shared parts of the system, each system will also have its own cost associated with parts that are unique to either the solar or wind generators themselves. Installing photo-voltaic cells to capture and transfer solar energy into usable electricity has a relatively high start-up cost. However, there are many models for building your own, do-it-yourself wind turbines, which can be done at a low start-up cost. By using a do-it-yourself wind turbine system, you can also help to offset the more expensive solar system, leading to a quicker payback period overall.
  
  

Effectiveness

• According to Energy Savers, there are many times when neither the solar nor wind power systems are generating electricity at their peak maximum capabilities. If neither system by itself is able to perform at peak capacity, then there is a chance that the deep-cycle batteries will eventually be drained and unusable until they are recharged by the solar or wind system. By using a hybrid system that combines wind and solar energy, one can produce enough electricity to keep appliances running steadily.
  
  

History

• Solar power systems were birthed conceptually in 1839 by French scientist Edmond Becquerel, who first discovered the photovoltaic effect, when he noticed that electrolytic cells made of two metal electrodes can produce electricity when exposed to light and submerged in an electricity-conducting solution. The first solar power engines where created in the 1860s by Abel Pifre, who built the first solar-powered engine.
  
  Wind energy has been around for centuries, with windmills pumping water in rural and agricultural settings. The Brush postmill, built in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1888 was the first large-scale commercial windmill used to generate electricity. Between the World Wars, Russia began to experiment with a 100 kilowatt Balaclava wind generator, which ran for two years. After World War II, many European nations began to incorporate wind power generators in the face of power shortages and economic crisis during the aftermath of the war.