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Small-scale wind turbines can't produce the large amounts of power that their giant brothers can, but there's still room for them in the renewable energy landscape. As an example, cell phone company Core Communications will begin using small vertical-axis wind turbines to power their cell phone towers.
The company will use turbines from Helix Wind that can generate electricity in winds as slow as 10 mph. The turbines will power the towers and any extra electricity will be sold to the grid, giving Core Communications a new source of revenue as well.
The turbines will be installed on a trial basis on cell phone towers in Southern California for three months starting in early 2010. If they perform well enough, additional turbines could be rolled out permanently.
via CNET
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written by VeruTEK Green Technologies, November 13, 2009
The fact that these wind turbines can generate electricity at 10mph is remarkable.
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written by Michael Anderson, November 13, 2009
It's unbelievable how fast electricity can be generated this way. Thanks for sharing this information. I work with Low Cost Power. This form of electricity reminded me of the energy savings you can receive just by switching your energy carrier.
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written by Green Colored Glasses, November 13, 2009
This is a great idea to mix technologies and make the most out of it. If you are putting up a cell phone tower anyways, you might as well generate electricity while you are at it.
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written by Anton, November 15, 2009
There were a lot of concerns few years ago about risk of cancer with so many mobile phone masts, at least for people living close to them; so, will these towers that are powered by a natural source reduce such risks?
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written by Ammo Guy, November 16, 2009
Wind turbines on cell towers? 
Let's take it one step further...
Put wind turbines on top of hi-tension electrical towers.
The power companies already own the right-of-way. The tower is already there. Two BIG hurdles are out of the way.
Why not?
If and when Cap-n-Tax goes through
there's your carbon offset to keep taxes down.
WIN, WIN.
Thank you,
The Ammo Guy
Aim small, miss small.
Let's take it one step further...
Put wind turbines on top of hi-tension electrical towers.
The power companies already own the right-of-way. The tower is already there. Two BIG hurdles are out of the way.
Why not?
If and when Cap-n-Tax goes through
there's your carbon offset to keep taxes down. WIN, WIN.
Thank you,
The Ammo Guy
Aim small, miss small.
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written by Carrie, November 18, 2009
These turbines are so beautiful when they spin,and they are cheep the smaller versions would be great to put on city street lights, they would also make an assume revenue source by putting advertisement wraps on them. An Eco billboard. Here is one spinning http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9flSPAdOLk
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written by driver8, November 20, 2009
Nice Idea.Now lets get solar panels and wind turbines on the high voltage power line towers that cross this counties land scape.The space and access are there already.No argument that the idea will ruin wild life habitat.The towers are for the most part out of site from the the mass population centers and the lines are going that direction anyway.
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written by Mehul Kamdar, November 24, 2009
I found several "Core Communications" when I did a web search. None of them were the company that you have written about. Would you please post their website here?
Thanks!
Thanks!
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written by pj, November 30, 2009
This is a baseless concept. What would you do at mobile phonetowers which are in cities, and most of the mobile phone are in cities where the wind is stagnant. This is a concept doomed from the start. http://www.imeinumber.in
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written by Konstantinos Tolias, December 03, 2009
Seems nice. I really like that how design develops through time, for all new technologies, There is plenty of space for design inovation for the wind turbines. Intresting and promissing!
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written by Scooter, December 14, 2009
if this works i think that it will be a wonderful idea! i hope it works and gives the cell phones a newer power that will make them have better service! and be better for the environment.
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written by mao, September 18, 2012
The turbines are good，so I think your idea is great enough!
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That is, aren't they already a minimal draw on the grid, such that switching one renewable energy source for another makes very little difference, in terms of overall impact?
[I could be wrong. Tell me I'm wrong]
Or is the story here that cell towers are an existing infrastructure that a small-scale wind-power grid could piggyback on?
That would be cool, but I take it it's up to the study to determine whether that's actually a cost-effective contribution to the energy mix, which we don't know yet.
Or should we just be happy that the chemical and carbon cost of turbines is lower than pv cells doing the same thing?