Green Energy Blog: Wind-Generated Energy is Under Attack

I am sure that I will get someone's blood boiling with this but that is nothing new. I welcome the debate as it helps us find solutions. This issue is something that needs to be talked about and looked squarely in the eye.

Across the world wind-generated energy is under attack. From video footage of disintegrating wind turbines to inconsistent energy output, it seems to be the brunt of all conversational slander around the electric water cooler.

Recently I was asked the question, "Is wind a viable power source?". There is no wondering why someone would raise that question. The controversy rages on about the ever so popular tri-bladed propeller turbines. Their antiquated 1944 design leaves a lot to be desired.

Their mammoth size averaging over 300' in height combined with the possibility of disintegration in heavy winds offers the land owners little comfort in placing habitable structures nearby.
Their need for routine maintenance is costly and unsafe.
With an inability to produce power in less than 11mph winds or in winds in excess of 17-20mph due to a braking system keeping them from disintegration in winds exceeding 20mph.
Lower return on investment dampering technological funding.

Each of these issues is a factor in the lethargic development of an industry so under-explored. Let's face it. Money moves technology. If we were seeing higher returns on investment this industry would be moving at light speed. Not to say that some entities have not taken notice of it's potential as they grasp for something to sever their dependence on fossil fuels. The United States doubled their number of wind turbines in 2008 and China was not far behind.

There is certainly a need and a desire to make something work. GE is making efforts to increase efficiency in the grids to offer alternative energy in areas where it is not presently available with their "Smart Grid" technology. They noted that the grid accounts for 40% of US CO2 emissions. Almost double that of cars in the US.

As we work together , and identify weaknesses, we can make them strenths. For instance, most of the power generated from a wind turbine comes as a result of contact with moving air at the circumfrance of the blade rotation. The tri-bladed designs have very little contact with this air. I am presently working with an inventor who has amplified this contact and thus gained efficiency.

These are a few charactoristics of this new design that have impressed me:

50% of the height of it's predecessors
closed propeller ring technology allows wind harvesting in wind speeds up to 250 mph to take advantage of Mother Nature's gifts over 20 mph.
Increased circumfrance surface area to generate electricity in as little as 1 mph and be 3100% more efficient than it's predecessor.
Extremely low maintenance.

What does all this add up to? Much better ROI. And that equates to greater funding for alternative energy. This quickly becomes a snowball effect and before you know it, the industry has been revolutionized. Don't get me wrong, I praise those that have worked so hard in pioneering the industry with the tri-blade technology. None of us could ever say anything that would take away from their great accomplishment. They have created the opportunity for the introduction of this technology. And I hope they join us in watching this technology with great anticipation, knowing that it too will be improved upon in some way.

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