Vertical Turbine (via Eastern Wind Power)
All routes and avenues within renewable energies must be explored, if stopping climate change is the goal. It is no secret that urban areas will be crucial in our conversion. Eastern Wind Power (EWP) is focusing precisely on this gluttonous concentration of energy drains with their new urban wind turbines.
A wife and husband duo with a background in public and construction services put together a team of structural engineers and architects to address environmental issues in the urban setting.
Eastern Wind Power is manufacturing vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT) with the intent of putting them in high-rise buildings where they can exploit high winds. Their biggest turbine is a 50-kW turbine with 20-foot blades and a 15-foot diameter. They hope to set up on rooftops in groups of 10-12 to create “Sky Farms” that can generate 10% of a building’s electrical needs (45,000 kWh/year). The turbine generates power at a low speed of 9.4 mph and shuts down at 90 mph. They are also making a 30-kW turbine for high wind areas, but details are not available.
EWP is working with Siemens to develop their own inverter system, which will improve their turbine's efficiency along with the lightweight rotors. A concern with VAWT on root tops in urban areas will be ice forming on the blades so EWP is also working with M3 to test ice resistant coatings. They are currently testing prototypes on Mt. Washington to test how the coatings perform during the harshest winter in the U.S.
It is very inspiring to see that non-engineers can still achieve a goal revolutionizing the energy field and improve urban environments. It is either EWB or the IMPLUX vertical turbine, guaranteed to not hurt a bird.
A wife and husband duo with a background in public and construction services put together a team of structural engineers and architects to address environmental issues in the urban setting.
Eastern Wind Power is manufacturing vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT) with the intent of putting them in high-rise buildings where they can exploit high winds. Their biggest turbine is a 50-kW turbine with 20-foot blades and a 15-foot diameter. They hope to set up on rooftops in groups of 10-12 to create “Sky Farms” that can generate 10% of a building’s electrical needs (45,000 kWh/year). The turbine generates power at a low speed of 9.4 mph and shuts down at 90 mph. They are also making a 30-kW turbine for high wind areas, but details are not available.
EWP is working with Siemens to develop their own inverter system, which will improve their turbine's efficiency along with the lightweight rotors. A concern with VAWT on root tops in urban areas will be ice forming on the blades so EWP is also working with M3 to test ice resistant coatings. They are currently testing prototypes on Mt. Washington to test how the coatings perform during the harshest winter in the U.S.
It is very inspiring to see that non-engineers can still achieve a goal revolutionizing the energy field and improve urban environments. It is either EWB or the IMPLUX vertical turbine, guaranteed to not hurt a bird.
There are many reasons why there a few wind options in urban areas. I discussed many of there, after this link.
However, are all the wind farms a good idea? One person thinks they will deplete the world of its kinetic energy.
Cabe
