Affordable Wind Energy

The new “kid on the block” in regards to wind turbines is a smaller backyard version very reminiscent in design of an old fashioned windmill called the Wind Dancer. It was created by a father - daughter team to perform in low wind areas and doesn’t need a skyscraper sized tower. The Wind Dancer has a smaller sibling that can be mounted on a roof top and needs only four to five mile an hour winds for energy production. Sounds great, that is until you get to the hefty price tag, which can range anywhere from $15,000 for the rooftop version to nearly $50,000 for the Wind Dancer. For the time being that puts this technology pretty much out of reach for the average consumer.  The majority of us who have a green conscience but not an extremely green pocketbook will have to wait and hope that like with most new technology the price will come down drastically as the newness wears off.  A national renewable energy standard could make renewable wind energy affordable sooner, but until then most of us will just have to wait and see which way the wind blows.