urban wind electricity
There are some companies offering micro and small wind turbines (without conventional towers) to be used on top of urban buildings, and their goals and claims are high…
Problems
Problems related with noise, safety, aesthetics and bad performance (due to wind turbulence, building obstructions, and insufficient wind resources) have till now turned the production of wind electricity in urban environment into a mere mirage.
New Products
But… some new products are being offered or are on the verge of it.
The Windside model (from Windside Wind Turbines, a Finnish company) has a spiral-flame look…
The model proposed by AV Architectural Wind, an American company) is based on an array of micro turbines, very similar to large fans.
Aeroturbines model (from Aerocture, based on a model projected at the University of Illinois) has a complex rectangular shape. That’s just examples.
Untested products
Urban wind systems are rather experimental and typically non-tested products. Their performance and the low maintenance costs for low wind speed conditions claimed by manufacturers are yet to be tested and confirmed.
Manufacturers
The number of manufacturers engaged in urban wind turbines is rather restrict. Between the most important are...
AeroVironment (USA)
Aerotecture (USA)
Ecofys (Netherlands)
Windside (Finland)
Windsave (UK)
Renewable Devices (UK)
See also:
Wind Powered Energy Basics
Basics on Solar Energy
Wind Maps and Data
Small Wind systems
Stand alone systems
On-grid systems
Net metering
Batteries and Backup systems for Wind and Solar systems
Wind Towers
Micro Wind
Turbines Power and Size
Landowners and Onshore Wind Farms
Wind Turbines Location
Offshore vs Onshore Wind systems
Solar-Wind Hybrid Systems
Solar vs. Wind electricity
Wind turbines & Environment
Wind farms
Wind Technology
Payback and Financial incentives
Wind Turbines Manufacturers and Dealers
Legal requirements
Solar vs. Wind electricity