There are two types of wind turbines suitable for producing utility-compatible power: those that use induction (or asynchronous) generators, and those that use inverters. Regardless of which is used, their interconnection with the utility is the same. The wind turbine is connected to terminals within your utility service panel or connected directly to the utility's transformer. In effect, the wind turbine becomes a part of the building’s electrical circuit not unlike that of any large electric appliance.

If the wind turbine is on the customer's side of the utility's kilowatt-hour meter, the wind system reduces the consumption of utility-supplied electricity. The wind turbine will power your clock, your stereo, your refrigerator or your lights. If you're a farmer, it will run your milkers or your feeders. In short, wind-generated electricity will be used wherever utility power is presently used.

When the wind is blowing, the wind turbine produces electricity that flows to the service panel. From there, it seeks out those circuits where electricity is being consumed. With electricity, it's first come, first served. Electricity will flow to the first circuit where it's needed. If more energy is being generated than can be used by the first circuit, it will flow to the next, and so on. When the wind machine can't deliver as much energy as needed, the utility makes up the difference. There are no fancy electronics controlling which circuit gets what. It's all accomplished silently and effortlessly. That's the beauty of electricity.

If there's little or no consumption and the wind turbine is operating, the excess generation flows from the service panel through the utility's kilowatt-hour meter and out to the utility's lines. In some cases, utilities permit running their kilowatt-hour meters backward. It seems mysterious, but it works. And it does so neatly, cleanly, and without fuss. Other utilities require the use of two separate meters to accomplish the same task.