Instead of the extended wind turbine fields we are accustomed to, the U.S. could see its most important buildings, such as hospitals, schools and public offices powered-up by wind turbines of unusual shapes. They are much reduced in dimension and reportedly more efficient than their large propeller-like counterparts. Windation Energy Systems, a California based company, says that their products resemble the cooling equipment that can currently be seen on building roof tops.

Mark Sheikhrezai, CEO and founder of Windation, explains that the a single unit of the system is not yet capable of supplying a building with its full energy requirements, but that it can offset an important part of them. In other words, as technology advances, we could see more and more skyscrapers going off the grid, and being powered by these new wind turbines. Sheikhrezai, who was born in Iran, got the idea for his invention from Ancient Persian buildings, which were constructed in such a manner that they allowed wind and water to accumulate inside, thus keeping them cool in the heat of the desert.

These small wind turbines follow pretty much the same basic principle. Wind enters the generator through the upper part and is then pushed downwards, where it drives a generator to produce electrical energy. The estimated output will be at about 5 kilowatts, the company says. The costs for installation, ranging from 40 to $50,000 could be covered in five to seven years, depending on the efficiency of the unit. Unlike other similar devices that use either the vertical currents of air generated near buildings or are placed exactly on the edges of buildings, Windation's turbine can be easily installed on any roof top, with fairly low costs considering the benefits. Humans and animals are also in no danger from the equipment.

According to the company's CEO, the wind turbines could be installed in virtually any major city, including Chicago, New York, San Francisco and Washington. With a few more units scheduled to come out by February 2009, the newly-founded company hopes to attract sufficient investments to be able to move to the mass production of such devices for wide-spread use.