Indy Nature Conservancy 20130623 022

Recently I was approached about an article I’d written in 2013 where I accused The Nature Conservancy of greenwashing. (See … Read more

Uge Albuquerque Sagrillo 03 Jpg

Controversial developer of “urban” wind projects Urban Green Energy (UGE) is quitting the wind business. Using its in-house designed vertical-axis wind turbine, the New York City-based company installed dozens of the wind turbines on buildings in high-profile locations, including the much-hyped turbines installed inside the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

The U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued a notice providing new performance and quality standards that require certification of small wind turbines in order to qualify for the 30% federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC).

Indy Nature Conservancy 20130623 013

Updated with a photo of the 18 Venger V2 Savonius turbines on the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Is this another example of Federal capital subsidies driving exceptionally overpriced “wind turbines”?

Indy Nature Conservancy 20130623 013

Hoosiers have definitely drunk the cool-aid. Worse, it’s another example of architectural greenwashing. According local press reports the Nature Conservancy … Read more

Adobe Systems With Mariah Windspire Turbines On Top Of The Parking Garage.

In the annals of greenwashing, no wind turbine company has done more to develop the technique to a fine art. It’s as if the company’s entire business model was built on finding participants who wanted a greenwashing project.

Twister Helical Darrieus Wind Turbine At Crissy Field, San Francisco In An "urban Wind" Demonstration Project, 2012

The helical rotor design is reputed to reduce or eliminate the torque ripple encountered in traditional two-blade Darrieus or eggbeater turbines.

DWEA believes the current lack of turbine certification and siting criteria under the various LEED rating systems is hurting the distributed wind industry and is counter-productive to the intent of LEED. We are requesting that USGBC add criteria that will ensure that the LEED points earned for on-site wind turbines will encourage safe and effective products and proper siting.

AeroVironment has installed 20 units of its AVX 1000 rooftop turbines on a building at Boston’s Logan International Airport. The 20 kW installation, part of what AeroViron[ment calls its “architectural wind system” contributed to the building’s obtaining a LEED Gold certification.