Small, airborne and traditional wind: Resources and labour

Why tiny turbines cost ten times more per kilowatt

What this tab covers The natural resources (land, water, materials, fuel or feedstock) and the labour needed to capture this energy, per unit, with the reason each is needed.

Small wind uses the same materials as large turbines (steel, copper, glass fibre, magnets) but more per kW of capacity. Airborne systems replace the tower with a tether and a ground station.

Natural resources

Resource	How much	Why it is needed
Capital (as a proxy for materials and work)	USD 8,910-9,630/kW installed in the US (2016-2025 average and 2025), against USD 3,362/kW for NREL's 1.5 MW distributed reference turbine³⁴	Fixed costs (mast, foundation, inverter, permitting) are spread over very little capacity.
Kite fabric and tether	About 150 m2 wing for a 100 kW SkySails system⁶	The wing must be large to generate strong pull in moderate winds; the tether replaces a steel tower.
Land	Little ground hardware; by comparison, wind farms typically span about 71 acres (29 ha, calculated) per MW of total project area⁶	Airborne systems need a clear safety zone for the flight path rather than a tower and foundation.

Labour

Phase	How much	Skills	Why it is needed
Installation	US small wind investment of USD 11.6 million for 1.7 MW in 2025³	Electricians, small-wind installers	Each small project needs site assessment, a foundation, a mast and a grid or battery connection.
Operation	SkySails expected its wing to land about 14 times a year because of rain, unsuitable winds or thunderstorms⁶	Automated flight control, with local technicians	Airborne systems must be launched and landed safely.
All phases	No jobs-per-MW data found for small, airborne or ship wind	Mechanical and electrical trades, naval architects for ship sails	These markets are too small to be counted separately in IRENA's job statistics.

Sources

Distributed Wind Energy Technologies Data Update: 2026 Summary (calendar year 2025 data) Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 2026
Cost of Wind Energy Review: 2024 Edition (NREL/PR-5000-91775), reference projects in 2023 USD National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 2025
After a shaky start, airborne wind energy is slowly taking off Yale Environment 360, 2022