Energy tourism? Yes, I made that up, but considering that some companies have taken their endeavors involving large wind energy project development further by making them tourist attractions, it is only a matter of time until this happens on a larger scale. Scotland already has the Whitelee wind farm which provides organized tours for visitors, showing the facility, the technology, the process of making electricity from wind. I can see why this may be interesting from a tourist's perspective – it's not every day you can see a 120 meter tall turbine spinning right in front of you!
A new idea has emerged from one of the world's most windy places – Norway. on office has put forth an idea of making an offshore wind farm / hotel resort which would basically be a floating city with wind turbines installed all around. The wind turbines would generate electricity to power the entire needs of the facility, while housing accommodation for tourists. Since Norway's coastline near Stavanger is the windiest place in Norway, with very large wind energy potential. This form of energy has not been exploited in Norway very much, as opposed to fossil fuels and hydropower (another abundant energy resource in the country). Making wind turbines a tourist attraction is what is behind the Turbine City concept. Stavanger is known as the oil capital of the country, so bringing in this kind of attention would help the area build a more "sustainable" image.
