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Politics : Rat's Nest - Chronicles of Collapse -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Wharf Rat who wrote (8963)	3/15/2009 2:30:01 PM
From: Wharf Rat	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 24212

Windmills on Seattle rooftops By John Cook on March 14, 2009 at 10:23 PDT Could we start seeing windmills on Seattle rooftops? That's the idea in front of the Seattle City Council, which on Monday will consider a proposal to allow small wind turbines 15 feet above the height limit on commercial buildings, reports The Seattle Times. The idea is gaining steam -- or maybe we should say a tailwind -- in part because of a 30 percent tax credit for the devices as part of the economic stimulus program. But some are already raising concerns about noise and architectural design. The Times' Emily Heffter reports: Questions also have been raised about whether there's sufficient wind flow in dense areas to make it all worthwhile. Already, utilities in various parts of the country are harvesting wind energy at huge wind farms built on windy hillsides, including in Eastern Washington. Now companies are manufacturing small wind turbines that can provide power for a residential or commercial building. The amount of energy generated by the small windmills depends on a variety of factors, including height, design and weather. AeroVironment -- a maker of small wind turbines that also competes with Bingen's Insitu Group in the unmanned aircraft space -- promotes the idea of showcasing the turbines. AV's small, modular wind turbine solution is designed to provide an attractive, kinetic, clean energy generating solution that integrates easily into new and existing commercial buildings. Whereas solar thermal and solar photovoltaic systems are typically located on top of roofs, out of sight, Architectural Wind™ provides a visible, compelling and architecturally enhancing statement of the building's commitment to renewable energy. techflash.com