Harnessing wind power might be one of the most ideal ways to use green energy. The only problem is that the wind turbines themselves tend to be rather problematic. Large wind turbines are noisy, unsightly and take up a lot of space, making few people want to have them in their own backyards. Small turbines, while useful for summer cottages, couldn’t provide enough energy in the winter or handle the volatile city winds – until now.
A Canadian company called Wind Simplicity has created the Windancer, a small, convenient rooftop wind turbine that suits the city’s winds and spins slower than average to present less of a safety hazard.
The Windancer has already won the National Energy Globe Award and the Gold Design Exchange Award in engineering, but most importantly, it makes wind energy accessible for homeowners who are serious about going green on their own and don’t want to wait for a wind farm to be built nearby.
Wind is a free, pollutant-free sustainable resource. It’s a lot more reliable than most might think, as unlike the sun and solar energy, the wind tends to be more dense during the seasons where the most energy is required – such as the winter months.
The Windancer itself comes in customizable colours, doesn’t interfere with television or radio signals and is highly visible to flying wildlife like birds. It also doesn’t run very loudly and produces negligible vibrations, making it perfectly-suited for Toronto homes.
Previously, turbines like these have been far too small, expensive or difficult to install. But now, a variety of smaller-sized turbines are popping up, available for homeowners who can either go with their own affordable wind turbine or an award-winning design, such as the Windancer.
