Utilization of wind energy in urban areas — Chance or utopian dream?

Abstract

There exist many plans and some finished constructions of wind energy converters on buildings in urban areas. Therefore the question had to be answered, how far densely populated areas and utilization of wind energy are mutually exclusive or — to put it differently — how far they can be matched in a useful way. In order to answer this question, the wind-climatic conditions are obviously most important. Nevertheless, site evaluation for wind energy converters (i.e., the determination of optimal sites for wind turbines) also includes economic, legal and landscape-ecological aspects. Especially the ecological impacts of wind energy will limit the potential for using wind energy in populated areas. Important factors are the noise emissions of wind turbines, distances derived from criteria of mechanical security, the possibility of electromagnetic interference in radio or TV services, and the occurrence of shadow hindrance from wind turbines.