Wind energy is a pollution-free, infinitely sustainable form of energy. The wind turbine industry is growing extremely rapidly and the technologies are improving in tandem. Integrating wind into a household, commercial or industrial power generation system is a cost effective alternative energy source. A well designed West Coast alternative power system will include some form of wind turbine as a supplement to other forms of renewable energy generation.

There are two types of wind turbine: vertical and horizontal (as shown here).

A horizontal turbine is ideal for wide open spaces with no wind obstructions in the vicinity. They are mounted high in the air and are the most efficient way to capture wind energy.

The vertical turbine can be used in urban or treed areas where air turbulation occurs making horizontal turbines unsuitable. These vertical turbines do not need to be mounted on a high pole and are more aesthetically innocuous.

The cost of wind energy is determined by:

• the initial cost of the wind turbine installation 
• the interest rate on the money invested 
• the amount of energy produced based on prevailing winds