I purchased plans for Hugh Piggot's turbines and they are for a simple, rugged machine that generates usable power. See hugh's site Scoraig Wind for much more information. Here is another link with lots of theory and notes.
A good part of Piggot's plans are for a homebuilt alternator using very hi-strength magnets. Blades are hand carved.
For even simpler turbines, others use DC motors as generators and simply bolt on a decent blade. Most use hunky motors by Ametek-they are rated anywhere from 36 to 100+ volts and can output 15+ amps. These are readily availale on eBay for well under $100. A few small turbines of this type can easily handle the demands of charging a battery bank for home power use.
I like Terry's idea about an "open source" set of projects. I say set of projects as I don't see a one-size-fits-all solution. Local wind conditions and power needs will likely dictate different solutions. But his point is collaberation and idea sharing and with that we all win.
Again, is this worth a dedicated area of its own? I say yes, but there needs to be enough interest.

Lance