Semtive, an Argentinian company with offices in Silicon Valley, have developed a wind turbine, called NEMOI that is optimized to work at low wind speeds.  It is lightweight, and rotates on a vertical axis, which allows it to operate even in a soft breeze. It is safe, even with high-speed winds, and should not be a hazard to birds.  Semitive also claim that it’s virtually noiseless in any wind condition, making it more appropriate than traditional turbines for urban areas where noice is a major impediment to turbine acceptance.

Estimated cost of electricity is $.02 per kWh, making it extremely competitive with other sustainable and carbon based solutions.

Semtive claims that  it requires less than one hour to install and only one tool is needed (we assume it’s a wrench).  With only two sealed bearings, it is highly reliable and promises 40+ years of reliability.

The unit sells for $4695 and is available for preorder. More about Semtive and NEMOI on their website.