Despite countless attempts by entrepreneurial engineers, residential wind power hasn't gained widespread adoption, primarily due to inefficiency at small scale and in built-up neighborhoods. Additionally, noise, vibration, aesthetic concerns, high upfront costs and potential structural complications have limited the appeal of rooftop turbines compared to solar panels.
However, Dutch startup Cell Technologies has developed a small wind turbine that it believes can revolutionize household energy production. The Blade X1, standing at 1.40 m/4.6 ft tall with a diameter of 60 cm/24 in, can be placed on a flat roof, in a garden or mounted on a pole attached to the side of a house. Punching above its weight and size, the turbine is said to generate between 2,500 to 3,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually — enough to power an average Dutch household, all thanks to a design that can harness wind energy both on entrance and exit.
Safe for birds and virtually silent, The Blade is also unlikely to run into zoning restrictions or neighborly objections since just the top 90 cm/36 in of the unit will extend above a home's roofline. As reported by Change Inc., production is set to commence in late 2025, and The Blade will be priced at EUR 2,500 (excluding VAT, pole and installation), positioning it as an accessible source of clean energy for most homeowners and renters.