Vertical Axis Wind Turbine market consolidating
Bob MorrisPublished: 21 Aug, 2012
1 min read
Credit: nationalgeographic.com
Helix Wind, a Vertical Axis Wind Turbine manufacturer, has had its assets bought by another VAWT company after it collapsed financially. While such turbines have a visual appeal and take up less space, making them ideal for rooftop installation, they are not as efficient as traditional horizontal axis turbines. Plus, decreased wind flow due to buildings being nearby cuts efficiency even more.
Critics of the design are blunt:
"Why do we keep repeating the same mistakes?" asked small wind turbine builder and author Ian Woofenden. "No vertical axis company has survived in the marketplace for any length of time. All long-term successful wind-electric manufacturers use horizontal axis designs. This is because they work."
Rooftop solar is more inherently practical than rooftop VAWTs. The real future of wind power is probably in gigantic offshore wind turbines, each of which can power thousands of homes.
You Might Also Like
Did the Republicans or Democrats Start the Gerrymandering Fight?
The 2026 midterm election cycle is quickly approaching. However, there is a lingering question mark over what congressional maps will look like when voters start to cast their ballots, especially as Republicans and Democrats fight to obtain any electoral advantage possible. ...
11 Nov, 2025
-
8 min read
Utah Judge Delivers a Major Blow to Gerrymandering
A Utah state judge has struck down the congressional map drawn by Republican lawmakers, ruling that it violates the state’s voter-approved ban on partisan gerrymandering and ordering new district lines for the 2026 elections....
11 Nov, 2025
-
2 min read
5 Politicians Bucking Their Party on Gerrymandering
Across the country, both parties are weighing whether to redraw congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Texas, California, Missouri, North Carolina, Utah, Indiana, Colorado, Illinois, and Virginia are all in various stages of the action. Here are five politicians who have declined to support redistricting efforts promoted by their own parties....
31 Oct, 2025
-
4 min read