wind power to the people

Bloomie (that's Mayor Michael Bloomberg to you non-NYC folk) is proposing a very progressive wind energy plan for the city. In his plan, the mayor wants to install wind turbines on top of buildings and bridges and in windy waterways. Turbines in coastal areas could produce 10 percent of the city's energy needs within 10 years.

“When it comes to producing clean power, we’re determined to make New York the No. 1 city in the nation,” Mr. Bloomberg said as he outlined his plans in a speech Tuesday night in Las Vegas, where a major conference on alternative energy is under way.

But there are some serious hurdles for the plan, like battling people who are against aesthetic changes to neighborhoods and the fact that Bloomie's only in office for 18 more months to start the ball rolling (or the blades spinning). For the plan to be fully realized it could take years, maybe decades due to government red tape (ie, permits from state and federal agencies).

Read the rest of the story from the New York Times

If you're picturing giant wind turbines spinning atop skyscrapers, that won't be the case. Rooftop wind turbines are much smaller and less invasive (they also generate less electricity) than the larger land- or water-based varieties. There are various designs (see images below) and new ones, like the one featured in the video below, are being introduced all the time.


[Image: © Lucid Dream Productions via MetaEfficient]


[Design: Graeme Attey; Image: ICT via NotCot]


[quietrevolution via Logical Science]