Wind Power

Now we know that oil reserves are not going to last forever we are searching for alternative energy resources keenly. We are reading about new ways to tap energy from renewable resources. Sometimes these alternative energy resources seem quite odd and impractical. But we never know how they will shape up in future or how they will perform in future. Imagine New York being lit up by high-flying kites in the sky! These kites are supposed to utilize the wind power of New York. 9 Comments

Most of us want to reduce our carbon footprints but currently most of the alternative energy products are simply unavailable for urban population that lives in metros. But gradually the scenario of alternative energy is changing and manufacturers have started thinking from common person’s point of view. Recently EarthTronics, which is based in Muskegon, Michigan, has developed a wind turbine that can be used by individual homes. EarthTronics also claims that it can operate at speeds as low as 2 miles an hour. Consequently, homeowners this fall will be able to buy a wind turbine at hardware stores that tackles the small wind industry's bete noire: slow wind. This turbine is named as Honeywell Wind Turbine and it will be distributed through Ace Hardware stores in the U.S. It will be sold for $4,500. WindTronics developed the turbine and licensed the technology to buildings systems giant Honeywell. 14 Comments

The Metropolis Magazine has been holding Next Generation Design Competition since 2003. They want to provide a platform for young designers to promote the spirit of activism, social involvement, and entrepreneurship. They offer prize money of $ 10,000. But the real attraction is the publicity given to the projects of winners and runners-up. This recognition helps abstract ideas take concrete forms. For 2009, the theme for the Next Generation Design Competition was: How do we fix our energy addiction? They offered some guidelines, "Think about how we live and work, what we use, how we get where we need to go, hidden costs to our pocket books and the environment, across the whole design spectrum. Focus on one area that needs fixing—products, interiors, buildings and landscape, communication systems, or anything else you can imagine—and develop your idea fully. And above all, think of our energy addiction as a design problem at all scales." 14 Comments

People are trying various sources to produce alternative energy. We have often witnessed children flying kites. But very few of us have given a thought to generate energy from kites. Scientists from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands produced energy from the wind by flying a 10-sq metre kite that is attached to a generator. It generated 10 kilowatts of power. This energy was enough to meet the power needs of 10 family houses. Scientists are now aiming for a 50kW version of their invention. They have named it Laddermill. Their ultimate aim is to go for a version of multiple kites. They will be able to produce 100 megawatts of power that could meet up the energy requirements of 100,000 homes. In order to generate power the kite pulls a string attached to the generators on the ground. Upon reaching their maximum height, they are reeled back down to repeat the process. 8 Comments

Wind power is the fastest growing industry in the alternative energy sector. Wind turbines generate clean and green power for us but they have certain precondition. One of it is the power unit has to be set up in strong wind area. But Green Energy Technologies has developed a brand new wind power generator known as the WindCube. It is smaller compared to the normal wind generator. WindCube is specially designed to set up on the roof of a building in urban and rural areas. WindCube carries a 22 x 22 x 12 feet framework and its single unit can produce a maximum of 60kW of power. Mark L. Cironi, who is the president and founder of Green Energy Technologies, explains, "Building owners anywhere can consider being a part of the renewable energy picture. With WindCube, it’s not necessary to have the wind of Kansas or Nebraska to become a generator of wind power. In states with excellent renewable energy incentives, moderate wind and high electric rates, the payback can be as little as three years." 26 Comments

These days many companies are exhibiting awareness about clean and green energy and trying to use that technology for reducing costs too. Recently Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport has set up ten wind-powered electricity generators. They are using the energy to power an electric utility vehicle. We are acquainted with the fact that airports are windy places. So a knowledgeable management can utilize this air power and boost its environmental credentials too. They have installed ten 1 kW Aerovironment wind turbines on top of the airport fire station to harness the power of prevailing northwest winds. The turbines are expected to generate 10 kilowatts of electricity an hour. They are powering their fully-electric Cushman Motors e-Ride exv2 utility vehicle with the energy generated by these turbines. Their utility vehicle has a range of 45-55 miles and costs around $200 a year to run. 3 Comments

Sources of alternative energy are still in infancy stage and taking nascent steps towards the future. So there are ample scopes for scientists to improve upon the various aspects of existing models of alternative sources of energy. There is so much untapped, and so much to explore in this sector. That’s why we are daily flooded with information in the alternative energy field. But sometimes we hear about the improvement in the existing models itself. Researchers from the University of Alcala (UAH) and the Complutense University in Madrid (UCM) have devised a new method for predicting the wind speed of wind farm aerogenerators. 9 Comments

We all know about the impending future of the fossil fuels. Ultimately we will be forced to look for alternative energy fuels. Those countries who have resources and infrastructure are taking up these challenges very intelligently. Scientists and researchers know that existing alternative sources of energy can’t take up the challenges created by total exhaustion of fossil fuel. So they are continuously trying to better the existing technologies of the sources of alternative fuels. This time Leviathan Energy presents a technology for new and existing wind farms to produce more energy from a relatively small investment, a solution every manufacturer worth his/her salt wants i.e. more by investing less! 3 Comments

The new Peñascal wind farm in Texas hopes to become a model for responsible development by installing new radar technology to protect migratory birds and wildlife. According to recent studies, wind farms kill about 7,000 birds a year, although actual numbers are thought to be much higher. The new 202MW wind farm, operated by Spanish firm Iberdrola Renewables, uses radar technology developed by Florida based DeTect, Inc. 8 Comments

These days we are incessantly debating over one of the hottest issues, i.e. environmental pollution and rise in temperature throughout the world. An intelligent person always likes to foresee the near future a bit and try to prepare himself /herself for the impending battle raising from the horizons of the past. He or she won’t start digging a well when the thirst strikes. Most of us want to do something about this and contribute positively to make this earth a better place to live. But we are most of the time clueless. We don’t know from where to begin? Where we can find relevant information? If we are able to track down information then how to process it for our own and community’s good? 10 Comments

As soaring oil prices and greenhouse gas emissions fuel the search for cheaper and cleaner sources of energy, a Japanese aerospace manufacturer may have found the right stuff for a solution. It’s a windmill you can call your very own. Yokohama-based aerospace manufacturer, Nippi Corporation, has developed a revolutionary 20 kW wind turbine power generation system that’s turning heads everywhere. 18 Comments

President Barack Obama is known as a staunch supporter of green energy. His stimulus plan has raised new hope for the environmentalists and economists alike. On the occasion of Earth Day, President Obama declared that developing renewable energy is crucial to America's prosperity. He also declared that his administration will for the first time lease federal waters for projects to generate electricity from wind as well as from ocean currents and other renewable sources. Obama also emphasized the need for action on global warming and preserving vast and beautiful natural resources of USA. 11 Comments

This summer, Anoka, Buffalo, North St. Paul and 8 other Minnesota cities are gearing up for the production of wind energy. They will use recycled turbines for this purpose. In Buffalo, the work will start from June. After the completion of this project Buffalo will have the honor of the first city with one of the 115-foot-tall turbines among the 11-member cities of the Minnesota Municipal Power Agency (MMPA). They are getting the windmills from Palm Springs, California wind farm . Payment will be done by the joint-powers agency which has agreed to pay about $3.6 million for a dozen refurbished windmills. The Hometown WindPower program is aspiring to meet a state law that calls for most electrical utilities to provide 25 percent of their total electricity sales from renewable sources by 2025. These non conventional sources can be wind or water power. Officials confirmed that Shakopee, North St. Paul and Buffalo have picked sites for the 160-kilowatt windmills. Buffalo utilities director Joe Steffel wants to start work on this project by June 1. 8 Comments

The life of wind turbine blades can be significantly enhanced by modifying their shape. There is a lot of load on the large wind turbines when the blades rotate and by providing a movable trailing edge to these blades the load can be tremendously reduced. It is similar to the flaps used in the aeronautical industry. The flaps in aircrafts regulate the lift during take-offs and landings. Risø National Laboratory for Sustainable Energy is using an elastic material to make trailing edges of wind turbine blades. 1 Comment

While very small wind energy projects are not normally viable due to the cost and effort involved, a small wind farm in the Clay County could easily start generating power as early as 2010. If this project, called The Romar wind project, starts generating power successfully it will certainly trigger a trend. 5 Comments

By generating 40% of the energy required by wind Spain set a world record last week. When high winds blew through north-west Spain on Thursday, a massive 11,180 MW was generated. Of course the wind energy farms were helped by one of the strongest spells of fierce winds experienced by the region recently. 5 Comments

If you think planting trees is going to save the planet from global warming, you're thinking in the right direction but a problem — we may call it a problem due to the situation we have gotten ourselves in — with mother nature is it takes its own good time to show results. It doesn't mean that we should stop planting new trees and stop all efforts at forestation. Everything artificial doesn't have to be bad for Earth; a London based company called Solar Botanic intends to use Energy Harvesting Trees to generate solar as well as wind energy. The solution is unique in a sense that the same installation can use two alternative energy sources to produce clean electricity. 6 Comments

We all know that the need of the hour is alternative energy so that future generations can still breathe fresh air and have enough energy for their industrial purposes and domestic use. Many states and countries are promoting wind energy as a clean and green energy. We all know the advantages and disadvantages of alternative energy. No doubt harvesting wind for energy purposes is a good move but maintenance of wind farms has its share of headaches. Wind turbine generators already mark the horizon for miles in every direction in many parts of the world. But maintenance of the windmills has been a strenuous task for human technicians. Rotor blade damage is a routine but irritating problem that demands many hours of maintenance. 1 Comment

A new power packed performance super car has been designed in California that can run at the speed of 155 mph without conventional fuel. For startup this car will use solar powered battery but later draw its energy from circulating air. An advanced alternating current induction motor will glide the Formula AE. This motor will have a power output of 212 kilowatts. Rory Handel and Maxx Bricklinas from Beverly Hills, California are responsible for the design of the sleek motor of the car, and they are hoping that the prototype would be completed in August. 30 Comments

The main work of wind turbines is to utilize the energy of wind and convert it into electricity; stronger wind is considered good for electricity production. But the speed of wind should not be too strong because it makes turbines spin too fast and in this process it commits suicide! Why is it so? Because turbine blades get ripped off by stronger winds – excessive heat damages the alternator. Turbine tower too can't remain unaffected by the strong wind. To prevent all this damage a mechanical breaking system furling is generally used. This method prevents wind turbine from spinning too quickly by turning the blades away from the direction of the wind. Furling can be manual or automatic with same goal i.e. turning the turbine blade edges into the wind when the wind is dangerously strong and stormy. 16 Comments