FloDesign's Jet Engine Wind Turbine Passing to Production Phase
It's almost two years since I first wrote about Flodesign's Jet Engine-like wind turbine, and, at that time, I was saying it was 4 times more efficient than any regular wind turbine used today. Now it's good news to hear that they grew up, and their plans pass on from theory to practice.
LIDAR: Predicting The Wind By Using Smart, Laser-Equipped Wind Turbines
The researchers from Riso DTU completed the first test on a wind turbine with a laser-based anemometer built into the spinner to increase electricity generation.
Solar Tree – An Artificial Tree to Produce Clean Electricity from Wind and Sun
The leaves of the tree are connected to a vertical-axis wind turbine. Every leaf has a grouping of high-efficiency photovoltaic solar cells that transmit electricity down the tree's core. The solar cells are connected from the upper turbine to the trunk through wireless energy transfer by induction.
Friction-Drive Wind Turbine Can Withstand Powerful Windstorms
In standard wind turbines, the blades turn a drive shaft which engages the gearbox. The gearbox is the most vulnerable part, as in wind blasts it has to withstand very high mechanical stress. In time, it will wear down or break some metal teeth making it in short time unusable.
Innovative Mechanism Improves Off-Shore Wind Turbines' Safety
Markus Mueller and Alasdair McDonald of the University of Edinburgh solved one of the fundamental engineering issues faced by builders of offshore wind turbines. They developed a new electric generator that is much cheaper, lighter and reliable than anything seen up to now in the industry.
Newly Found Vertical Wind Turbines Arrangement Reduces Space Needs 100 Fold
CalTech scientists have discovered that arranging vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT) in a certain pattern will save the space by 100 times compared to classic arrangements, will output the same amount of energy and will be safer for migrating birds.
CALMAC Stores Surplus Wind Energy in Ice Banks
While some green projects store the excess energy in a kinetic form, such as the fore-mentioned flywheels, others are inventing ways to use frozen water to collect surpluses from wind farms, which are more productive at night, when winds are stronger.
EarthSure's Wind & Solar Powered Electric Car: Would It Work?
EarthSure, an innovator in alternative energy sources and renewable energy company is planning to develop a zero-emission electric vehicle powered by solar and wind energy. Called AirRay, the new car will be equipped with four wind turbines and a solar roof. All of these to generate necessary electricity to keep the batteries charged up.
WindSentinel to Reduce Costs for Offshore Wind Power
A Virginia based company specialized in wind power called Catch the Wind Ltd. has deployed its first laser wind sensor on a buoy in Race Rocks Island, British Columbia, for an initial assessment of a new offshore wind power farm.
Prius-Like Gearbox to be Used in Less Pricey Wind Turbines
The CVT (continuously variable transmission) technology is already being used in hybrid cars, and now it enters the wind turbine industry. Texas-based Viryd Technologies, use CVTs to make the fluctuating wind speeds convert into a more efficient stream of AC current that will be fed to the grids.
