The Pew Research Centre reports that between 2020 and 2022, rooftop solar rose by 34%. Every quarter, the number of new installations breaks new records. In the meanwhile, Texas saved almost $7.4 billion in wholesale power expenses in the first eight months of 2022 by utilizing large-scale wind farms, demonstrating the exceptional cost-effectiveness of wind technology. Rooftop wind turbines haven’t exactly taken off, though. How come? Economics has a key role in the solution.
Nearby, rooftop solar power has experienced tremendous growth in the last several years. By March 2026, the government hopes to have 40 GW of rooftop solar installed. To that end, it has put in place a number of laws and incentives to encourage the development of the rooftop solar market. India has over 7.6 GW of rooftop solar capacity built as of 2022. Rising power prices, falling solar technology costs, and the availability of finance alternatives for solar projects are the main factors driving rooftop solar growth in India.
“India has big goals for renewable energy, and the nation is depending on massive wind and solar energy projects to meet these goals,” says Inderpreet Kaur, a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
Although rooftop solar has historically been the most popular option, he believes it’s time to investigate the unrealized potential of renewable energy sources like tiny wind turbines. “tiny wind turbines may function at wind speeds as low as two meters per second, making them dependable, low-maintenance alternative energy producers that can be swiftly built in a tiny location. It offers India a huge potential that, at cheap cost and with no infrastructure assistance, can effectively meet the nation’s larger renewable ambitions, he continues.
However, it may be expensive to construct and maintain rooftop wind turbines in India, and setting up and operating these turbines can be difficult for both people and businesses due to a number of legislative and governmental barriers. Furthermore, the public’s and decision-makers’ ignorance of the benefits of rooftop wind energy is impeding its growth.
Other difficulties include the potential for noise and vibration from wind turbines. A flicker effect is produced by the movement of the blades themselves in sunlight, which alternates between shadows and light. Nevertheless, scientists are still investigating the feasibility of small-scale wind turbines, looking at various designs, placement strategies, and situations.
Rafael Muniz, an IEEE member, claims that they could be more suitable in some metropolitan areas and even in poor countries. Every urban center would need to have a study done with its unique modeling since city architecture frequently contributes to the creation of so-called wind corridors. When deciding where to put wind turbines on rooftops, this may be a deciding issue.
Wind Energy
Because they require little upkeep and can be easily installed in confined places, wind turbines
They are able to function in winds as low as two meters per second.
On the other hand, rooftop wind turbine installation and upkeep can be expensive in India.
