We’ve been looking for a while for a small, inexpensive wind turbine that can be mounted on a house or small business – solar installations have taken off because an individual consumer (or enterprising company) can install them themselves.  Kean Wind Turbines, a company in Buffalo New York, appears to have come up with the device we’ve been looking for!

Instead of the standard 3 blade turbine, the Kean turbine passes the air mass through their device, giving a much greater efficiency level for the turbine. They claim to be able to convert 40% of the kinetic energy from wind into electricity, vs 3% for a standard turbine. The work in wind speeds of  8 t0 100 MPH. The turbines will be made in 4 meter and 8 meter sizes, making them practical to install in a yard or on top of a building.  One 4-meter Kean turbine can provide all the electrical and heating needs for an average home.

Other advantages – there are no blades so birds won’t get killed by the rotating turbines, and they give off virtually no noise.

We will keep an eye on this promising company.  You can see more details on the Kean Wind site.