July/August 2007

How Windy is MIT?

By TR Editors

To find out, students installed anemometers, wind direction sensors, and data loggers on seven MIT rooftops. "Our preliminary data indicates that most of MIT is not windy enough to make wind turbines economically viable," says Dan Wesolowski (right), a PhD student in materials science and engineering, who collected data with ­Richard Bates '09 atop Building 36 in May. "However, the roof of Eastgate has enough sustained wind to produce power at rates as low as $0.10 per kilowatt-hour over its lifetime, significantly cheaper than MIT's grid electric rate." The students also found that Buildings 54 and W84 may be suitable for small-scale wind-capture projects.