Solid State Wind Energy
Imagine wind power generating an abundance of wind energy without blades.
Wind power turbines are notorious for making noise and there have been frequent cases of various bird fatalities when generating wind energy. Therefore this does not bode well for the longevity of wind power generators. Apparently wind turbines are also unreliable and expensive to install in line with an article published by the Mail Online back in 2008 – and it would seem that not a lot has changed since then.
According to the Mail Online:
Wind turbines will cost ‘every household £4,000 [to produce wind energy] and add too much strain to the National Grid’ [of the UK], according to a new study.
However a design firm called Atelier DNA based in New York has created a concept that might prove be an effective solution harnessing the power of wind without using blades.
According to Discovery News:
Resembling thin cattails, the Windstalks generate electricity when the wind sets them waving. The designers came up with the idea for the planned city Masdar, a 2.3-square-mile, automobile-free area being built outside of Abu Dhabi. Atelier DNA’s “Windstalk”project came in second in the Land Art Generator competition a contest sponsored by Madsar to identify the best work of art that generates renewable energy from a pool of international submissions.
Another interesting development in wind power generators are floating wind turbines.
A company called Altaeros Energies have created a floating wind turbine that produces affordable, renewable energy.
According to Gizmag:
Altaeros Energies has announced the first testing of its Airborne Wind Turbine (AWT) prototype that resembles a sort of blimp windmill. The test took place at the Loring Commerce Center in Limestone, Maine, USA where the AWT floated 350 feet (107 meters) into the sky and successfully produced power, before coming back to earth in a controlled landing. The turbine was deployed into the air from a towable docking trailer, while demonstrating that it can produce over twice the power at high altitudes than generated at conventional tower height.
More on floating wind turbines
Wind energy could become cheaper than nuclear.
A wind turbine design called the ‘wind lens’ which are invented by the Japanese that essentially could increase the wind energy by as much as three times, might be more affordable than nuclear powered energy.
According to MNN:
The International Clean Energy Analysis (ICEA) gateway estimates that the U.S. possesses 2.2 million km2 of high wind potential (Class 3-7 winds) — about 850,000 square miles of land that could yield high levels of wind energy. This makes the U.S. something of a Saudi Arabia for wind energy, ranked third in the world for total wind energy potential.
Let’s say we developed just 20 percent of those wind resources — 170,000 square miles (440,000 km2) or an area roughly 1/4 the size of Alaska — we could produce a whopping 8.7 billion megawatt hours of electricity each year (based on a theoretical conversion of six 1.5 MW turbines per km2 and an average output of 25 percent. (1.5 MW x 365 days x 24 hrs x 25% = 3,285 MWh’s).
Watch this video about the ‘wind lens’:
What’s interesting about the wind lenses beside the fact that it is more cost effective than standard wind energy turbines is that it possesses the following features:
- It can be installed even in urban areas, as it doesn’t generate a lot of noise.
- Save a lot space, therefore can be installed in very small spaces.
- It can generate power even in weak wind conditions.
- Can avoid bird strikes, therefore reduce bird fatalities.
- Wind lenses are safer than standard wind energy turbines as the outer exterior prevent the blades from any contact or from flying apart.
More About Martin Orton
I'm a client focused independent Web Architect & Consultant that strives to provide my clients with outstanding quality, innovative and effective solutions in a suitable manner with more than 10 years experience in the new media industry.
