A breath of fresh air
The design of conventional wind turbines limits the way we can harvest natural air flow. These five new ideas could be helping us power our homes in the near future
High-flying turbine
Some of the strongest winds blow at high altitude – they’re often steadier and more persistent than those nearer the ground. We can’t currently harness their power, but floating up a turbine like a kite would make this possible. Inflatable turbines, gliders and other flying generators are being researched to make this a reality.
Vibrating pads
You don’t necessarily need a rotor to effectively capture wind energy. Francis Moon, a mechanical-engineering professor at the US’s Cornell University, has developed Vibro-Wind, a generator that uses a grid of pads to capture energy while fluttering in the wind. The low-impact design could revolutionise localised renewable energy.
Vertical oscillation
This system uses some very clever technology to generate energy, but it’s basically a big wobbly pole. According to the Spanish start-up developing it, the oscillating Vertical Bladeless is low-maintenance and harmless to wildlife, doesn’t require gears, brakes or oil, and can respond rapidly to capture changing winds.
Counter-rotation
No, you’re not seeing double – this wind turbine really does have two sets of blades spinning in opposite directions to each other. The science behind it is that when a conventional rotor system spins, it actually creates a lot of air flowing in the opposite direction. Normally, this would be wasted, but that need no longer be the case.
Vertical axis
One of the biggest problems with conventional turbines is the generator and gearing they require to work are located up at the top of the structure. With a vertical-axis turbine, in contrast, the main components are closer to the ground, making service and repair easier. It can also capture wind from all directions.