While it can't change such opinions overnight, Aerovironment is
looking to slowly warm people to wind power by providing direct
solutions to the frequent criticisms. And in the process, it
hopes to transform the face of modern cities around the world.
Aerovironment produces building-mounted turbines, smaller than
those typically seen on wind farms. By mounting the turbine
structure to the tops of buildings, the benefits are twofold.
First, the cost in resources of building a pole to support the
turbine is eliminated. Secondly, the turbines can be elevated
much higher, exposing them to stronger winds. The nearly silent
turbines snap onto the parapet of urban structures, forming a
design that Aerovironment calls ‘Architectural Wind’. The rows
of turbines not only catch cross currents, but also the frequent
currents that develop up the side of buildings. The result is a
30 percent increase in energy production and even better, a
great savings in hassle, in that the turbines are quick to snap
in. While the system