Wind turbines are a complementary generation technology for sites with consistent wind resources. They are most valuable in locations where winter winds are strong and winter solar radiation is limited — a common combination, since winter storms tend to bring both wind and cloud cover. A system that combines solar PV and wind generation is more robust than either alone, since the two resources often complement each other seasonally.

Small wind turbines for off-grid use are available in sizes from a few hundred watts to 10 kilowatts. They require a tower of sufficient height to place the rotor above obstructions that create turbulence (typically 10 meters or more above any obstruction within 100 meters), and they require sites with average wind speeds above approximately 5 meters per second (11 mph) to be economically viable. Wind resource data is available from meteorological databases and should be evaluated carefully before investing in wind generation equipment.