Small wind turbines struggling to gain momentum

clipped from www.leonardo-energy.org Compared to the traditional wind market, the market for small wind turbines is growing at a slow speed. But according to Miamari Siitoinen, Marketing Director of Eagle Windpower Oy, 'the wind is turning' and small wind turbines are currently witnessing a strong increase in demand. To what extent is that good news? What is the potential share of small wind turbines in the renewable energy mix? Sander Mertens of the Technical University Delft in the Netherlands conducted a research project comparing various quality parameters of small wind turbines presently on the market. The study shows that the potential of small wind production is overrated. That said, some types of small wind turbines show good results. According to Mertens’ study, it is mainly the very small systems used in residential environments that have the poorest efficiency. The company mainly targets emerging economies. In those countries, small wind turbines can be used to improve the reliability of the electricity