small wind turbines catching on
According to American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) the U.S. market for small scale wind turbines grew 78% in 2008. More than half of all small wind turbines installed worldwide are made by U.S. manufacturers, which is quite different than solar panels since they’re typically made by foreign manufacturers.
The most interesting part of the report highlighted that the largest segment of the market was residential wind turbines from 1kW to 10kW in capacity. I suppose this is a sign that consumers these days are looking for products that help them become energy independent and reduce their environmental impact.
Obviously the tax credit for installing small wind turbines and economies of scale have made wind turbines a more attractive investment for homeowners. What do you think about small scale wind turbines, would you install one on your property?
