Spin Meisters

New Mini-Turbine Can Generate Electricity from Atop Homes and Offices

The winds of change may soon bring mini-turbines to rooftops near you. A Scottish company today is launching Britain's first wind-power system designed to be affixed to almost any roof to supplement electricity gotten from the grid. The 3-by-2-foot box with three rotating blades, which will be sold for about $1,300, will be able to provide up to 15 percent of the electricity used by an average British household, says the manufacturer. Thanks to expected energy savings and government subsidies for purchasers, the price of a unit could be recouped in as few as 30 months. "We will be able to bring green energy to the masses," says Scottish inventor David Gordon.