Cool to see a well-known designer bring some cool factor to a great renewable energy source. Before getting too excited though note that he has just designed the turbine itself, not the whole system that will translate the turbine’s output into usable energy, so Starck’s contribution will be just a stylish portion of the overall cost of converting a home. There are some other very cool turbines already available that also help a homeowner avoid the rusty windmill aesthetic. They’re made of metal too, rather than Starck’s omnipresent plastic. How excellent that Starck has done this: it brings a new kind of attention to wind energy – not us treehuggers, but cutting edge designers. I’ve been waiting for this kind of thing… as it becomes cool it becomes more acceptable and less fringe / alternative. One person in the neighborhood puts up a turbine, word spreads, and all those people scared of change suddenly realize the world hasn’t ended after all. We’re a long way from Starck turbines in Target, but this is a step towards making wind power mainsteam – and a step away from oil, coal, and nuclear.