What are the benefits of each turbine design?
For urban locations, the main difference between vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT) and horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWT) is their response to turbulent winds. A VAWT is better suited for urban locations, where buildings and trees cause the wind to be more turbulent (gusty, with severe direction changes). VAWTs are mounted lower to the ground making it easy for maintenance, and can start creating electricity at speeds of only 6 mph. They also can be mounted on buildings or houses to take advantage of the height of the structure. HAWTs tend to produce more power with a smaller size, but historically they have produced more noise. Modern designs have greatly reduced the amount of noise produced. One advantage of the HAWT is it can be mounted at a high elevation, increasing its access to faster, smoother air and therefore more power.
