Small Wind Can Bring Big Benefits to Communities in Need

Much of the conversation around wind power often focuses on large-scale utility wind farms that provide energy to power grids deployed across cities, regions and even countries. Yet, smaller wind solutions can play a very important role in the clean energy transition.

In places where solar and other renewable technologies are not technically or economically feasible, small wind projects are a cost-effective option that can help power individual homes, schools and health facilities, or provide reliable and affordable electricity to entire communities. They can also support water pumping for irrigation, telecommunications and small businesses.

For example, two small wind energy systems installed in the tribal villages of Kamalaguda and Tijmali in the Kalahandi district of Odisha, India, not just provide electricity to 60 homes and 259 people, but brought jobs and new skills to the community.

Across the world, 11 miles off the coast of Maine, the Fox Islands community has installed three 1.5 megawatt turbines to power their homes and businesses. During the first 14 years of the project, local residents saved around $1.3 million in electricity costs.

Currently valued at $1.6 million in 2024, the global small wind turbine market is expected to grow over the next five years, reaching $2.2 million by 2030.

What Is Small Wind?

Wind energy systems that are not utility-scale wind farms, generating large amounts of electricity that feed into the electrical grid, are generally known as “small wind.” Sometimes categorized as small wind turbines (SWTs) or distributed wind, it represents an adaptable and flexible option for generating renewable electricity by converting wind energy into electricity using the aerodynamic force from rotor blades.

There isn’t a universally defined energy-generation capacity for small wind across all countries. In India, for example, small wind describes wind turbines with blades less than or equal to 200 square meters that generally have a maximum power rating of 50 kilowatts (kW). As the technology becomes more familiar worldwide, some SWTs now include higher-capacity models, ranging from 50 watts (W) to 10 kW.

In the United States, however, small wind turbines are typically up to 100 kW in size to account for the advancement in wind technologies. It’s also often described as “distributed wind” to emphasize that the power these turbines produce is consumed in the same place as it is produced.

Ultimately, small wind differs from large utility-scale wind turbines in terms of size, capacity, and operational complexity, while also being considerably easier to install and operate. This makes it a great option for geographies with high wind potential, space constraints, limited or unreliable grid infrastructure, or high electricity costs from diesel or imported fuels.

Where Is Small Wind Most Valuable?

Communities are increasingly turning to small wind to produce their own energy, especially where grid reliability, rising electricity costs or supply disruptions are a concern. The technology is most common in rural or remote areas, where it not only powers homes but also supports farming tasks like pumping water or grinding grain.

While small wind is not always suitable, there are a few noteworthy contexts in which it may play a pivotal role in diversifying energy sources and helping communities achieve greater energy independence.

Agricultural and Rural Communities

Agricultural and rural communities have had a lot of success with small wind due to the relatively small physical footprint of the turbine technology. Small wind energy systems have often proved to be an efficient use of space for the amount of electricity it can generate. One community organization in San Benito County, California is currently exploring ways to work with local zoning and land-use officials to allow for the deployment of small wind turbines on agricultural land. Along with an agrivoltaics project, which simultaneously uses land for agriculture and solar power, and a workforce development program, the organization’s proposal will help educate other community members and strengthen both the economic and grid resilience in the region.

In communities where it’s already legal for distributed wind installations, agricultural and industrial property owners can successfully offset their high energy usage and minimize disruptions to operations during power outages. An Anheuser-Busch brewery in California, which has a hybrid wind and solar system, and a 2.5 MW wind system on a farm in Nebraska, is already proving this success. Turbines in both locations are offsetting electricity demand to ensure the electricity used is both cleaner and cheaper than the general grid mix.

As small wind gains traction on farms and industrial facilities, even more rural communities have begun seeing it as an opportunity to gain control over their energy production. Communities like Ford County, Kansas, have built at least seven utility-scale wind projects in the last few decades that is transports electricity through nearby transmission lines to power other communities. But now, Ford County is modifying their zoning codes to include small wind and exploring municipal procurement so they too can utilize their exceptional wind resource and support energy independence for local farmers, businesses and residents.

Remote Communities

Remote communities are also looking to small wind for energy independence and freedom from unstable energy costs. Due to their heavy reliance on diesel generators and long-distance power lines, many communities in Alaska are exploring small wind as a solution. After installation, wind power has very low operating costs and can be cheaper than importing fuel. Highly successful projects, like the Winds of St. Mary’s in Alaska or Maine’s Fox Islands, have inspired other remote communities to engage technical experts and explore the potential of small wind in lowering steep energy costs.      

Around the Horn of Africa, small wind systems have become the most viable solution in the scarcely electrified parts of those countries. South Africa has more than 100,000 small wind turbines directly coupled with water pumps in operation across 46,000 farms.  A study from the UK suggested a 6 kW turbine is able to supply approximately 7.1% of the current electricity demand of a primary school in Isle of Arran, UK.

Climate-Conscious Communities

Climate-conscious communities, which are seeking solutions to minimize their reliance on fossil fuels and meet clean energy goals like Bennington County in Vermont, are also actively putting rules in place to reduce soft costs — or any non-hardware costs of distributed wind deployment — and other barriers to small wind deployment. By following the lead of previous examples, such as the Huerfano River Wind Farm in San Isabel, Colo., these communities are pursuing multiple goals: helping residents control energy costs, enhancing local quality of life and supporting local climate ambitions.

What are the Barriers and Opportunities for Small Wind Projects?

Just as momentum is starting to build and the industry has begun to see some success, small wind is facing some challenges. Issues like limited resource mapping studies, maintenance issues, lack of standardization and quality control, limited awareness and business models, challenges in testing and certifications have hindered its growth.

In the U.S., for example, federal support has wavered since the beginning of the Trump administration and the recent elimination of federal tax credits that will severely impact the economic viability of new turbines and hybrid systems.

The industry does not have many workers trained in small wind installations and service, thus making new installations and servicing challenging, particularly in rural areas or new markets. And even where there is a strong enough wind resource and an installer willing to make the trek to build the turbine, the local permitting processes might be restrictive. All of these factors add to the final cost and limit the economic viability of small wind turbines.

In other countries, like India, higher capital costs compared to alternatives have found to be a challenge as policies and incentives have shifted toward solar energy.

Small wind in India typically costs between 80,000 rupees to 1 million rupees ($906 to $1,133) per kilowatt, whereas a 1 kW solar rooftop system costs around 40,000 rupees to 70,000 rupees ($453 to $793). This cost disparity is primarily due to the lack of economies of scale in manufacturing, expensive materials like rare earth magnets and the technical complexities involved in turbine production, installation and maintenance. The cessation of subsidies after 2017 further raised their effective price, making them less competitive compared to rapidly declining solar photovoltaic costs.

Yet with lower operating voltages, compatibility with hybrid systems and suitability for community- or household-level use, small wind still can be promising for rural and off-grid situations where localized, safe and easy-to-maintain solutions are critical.

To help counter some of these barriers, local government officials can pull a range of levers to encourage more growth of small wind projects. Staff might install a wind turbine on municipal property, work together with local utilities to reduce barriers to interconnection, or develop educational resources for residents seeking clean energy opportunities. An increasingly common action that governments might take is to streamline their permitting processes for small wind. Reducing the soft costs associated with the deployment of small wind turbines can lead to increased interest in the technology from local installers, residents, and other stakeholders.

Local government staff can also review zoning code and existing permitting processes to identify potential barriers to wind development, highlight areas for improvement, educate relevant staff on best practices, and, most importantly, communicate with local stakeholders to understand the community’s level of support for future small wind deployment. With robust public input, local governments can build a strong foundation for future small wind development in their community.

Unlocking Small Wind’s Potential

Small wind turbines may not be the perfect solution for every scenario, but there are many instances where they can play a role in scaling up deployment of renewable energy.

These systems have brought reliable power, supported livelihoods and built local workforce capacity. As a standalone unit or as part of hybrid systems, small wind offers a flexible, decentralized solution, especially in areas where land is limited or there are issues preventing large renewable installations. Small wind can also increase energy access to more people around the world and provide greater ownership over energy production at the same time.