Considering that HAWTs are more efficient than VAWTs, that's where the development money is going as wind turbines get larger and more numerous.
VAWTs do have their place though. Being less visually intrusive, they have more potential for residential and private use, but with no moving parts, installers of residential renewable energy are mostly going with solar panels.
For VAWTs to be successful, they need to be as maintenance free as a solar panel and offer the efficiency of a HAWT.