Windy City

New York is beginning to look a little like my parents' hometown of Sweetwater, Texas.

(If such a thing is possible.)

In Sweetwater, wind turbines are some of the tallest structures around. In New York, wind turbines are on top of some of the tallest structures around.

From the NYTimes:

"A handful of buildings are already drawing electricity from wind turbines, which typically resemble table fans, or mounted airplane propellers. ...

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg stoked excitement among wind-power advocates in August when he announced that he supported putting turbines atop city skyscrapers.

Of the 60 proposals that were later submitted to the city under a request for renewable-energy projects, the majority were wind related, including technologies for apartment-mounted machines, said Jen Becker, a vice president of the New York City Economic Development Corporation. 'It’s definitely something we are looking at seriously,' she said."

Unfortunately, the city's many buildings make it difficult to capture enough strong, steady gusts, but, in one project, the turbines are expected to cut utility costs in half.