Vertical wind turbines from Optiwind
Traditional wind turbines that we all know very well, with three blades and everything, are created by their designers to work in wide-open areas where there is plenty of wind to help them function just like should. They are great when it comes to plains, for example, but in other parts they are a little bit difficult to adjust.
But here we have some brand new vertical wind turbines, coming from Optiwind, called the Optiwind Compact Wind Accelerating Turbines, which are perfect for areas where the density is very high and the wind is quite low.
The turbines in discussion are provided with five small bladed fans that are able to funnel in wind. This way, the wind is accelerated, the speeds are cranked up and more power is generated. On one hand, the turbine is smaller than others, measuring only six meters in diameter, so the blades are shorter than those of a traditional wind turbine (these usually go for 80 meters or so). And do you what this means? Well, you can use these vertical wind turbines in those places where you lack space. Think of schools, for example, think of hospitals, or hotels.
There are two different models: the 150 kilowatt, which is aimed at buildings that use electricity of approximately $35,000 per year, while the 300 kilowatt one is expected to work for those places where the energy consumption is higher than $75,000.
(Source: Dvice)
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12 Responses to “Vertical wind turbines from Optiwind”
By Kevin DeAngelo on May 9, 2009 | Reply
This thing is beyond ugly. What’s up with this?
I will never understand why we can’t get a mid-sized windmill that doesn’t like bad and doesn’t make a lot of noise.
At this point I believe the only alternative energy source that has half a chance of making it and saving the planet is solar.
The wind guys just don’t get it. Evidence: This thing.
By Evan Baker on May 9, 2009 | Reply
Kevin,
Grab some facts before your start typing next time.
The reason you can’t get a mid-sized windmill is because conventional turbines are fundamentally designed to be erected in farm settings where their installation and maintenance costs can be shared by many units. Mid-sized units are typically distributed and have to shoulder all of their own costs. That’s why, Kevin, there needs to be a different look to the design. Monopoles are too expensive. Gear boxes are too expensive. Conventional blades too inefficient.
If you personally don’t like it, don’t betray your ignorance by crying over aesthetics.
Solar has an installed cost per KWH that is 8x more expensive than wind. 8x!! Not sure there are enough government subsidies on the planet for that solution.
Wind turbines like this, that accelerate available wind and have a structure that is cheap enough to be grid competitive without subsidy, IS a real answer.
Try telling a school or a farm or a factory that is facing ever rising electric bills that a grid competitive wind turbine, that can save them money each and every month, doesn’t have “half a chance” because YOU think it’s ugly.
Open your mind a bit Kevin and substitute the judgementalism with facts.
By Kevin DeAngelo on May 9, 2009 | Reply
I’ll make you a bet.
This windmill will never get off the ground. Unless you’ve been joking and this thing is actually some new type of helicopter.
Wind energy will have its place in the market for alternatives… an important place.
However, the market will be dominated by large farms in isolated areas, and smaller windmills that blend in well into the environment in rural areas.
This thing is neither of the above and is therefore doomed.
Best of luck.
By Evan Baker on May 9, 2009 | Reply
There you go again Kevin…attempting to pass off your uninformed opinion as fact. I’ll gladly take the bet for this design and a whole bunch more to come just like it.
Probably best for you to stick with things you really know something about. Say, the Bee Gees or Tetris or something daunting like that.
By John Davidson on May 10, 2009 | Reply
As to the bet above, I think Kevin has a point and the upper hand…
I think you may want to know that Optiwind recently tried to get one of these windmills (Its first one) built in Goshen, CT.
They put the residents through six months of agony before the Planning and Zoning Board declined to give them a construction permit. Voting 5 to 0 to deny their application.
The reason given for the denial was that the design was judged to adversly impact property values and, because none of these has ever been built, it was felt there was no way to assess its impact on the environment.
Overall the residents thought that this design was inappropriate to their neighborhood, was extremely ugly, and would spoil the viewscape.
You should be aware of this before you get involved with these guys.
Beware of Optiwind.
By Terrie on May 10, 2009 | Reply
Evan implies that one of these might ultimately be built at a school.
I sure hope not.
I am a teacher at our local high school and would never want to look out my window at one of these things…. Never.
What’s wrong with these people at Optiwind?
Are we going to take our dirty fossil fuel solutions and replace them with something this repugnant? I sure hope not.
Kevin may be wrong about solar, as it is quite expensive, though the costs are coming down, but ugly wind solutions are not the answer either.
I don’t buy the argument about efficiency that Evan uses. When something is this ugly, it doesn’t matter. I would gladly pay a little more to avoid this type of answer to our energy problem.
Definately not buying it.
By Evan Baker on May 13, 2009 | Reply
Once upon a time, there was a tower that people universally deemed to be too ugly for words. They claimed it would dominate their town’s skyline and destroy the views of all towns’ people. It would kill birds, generate terrible noise and destroy the value of all properties in the area. The town would be the laughing stock of all the world for allowing such a structure to be built. Petitions were signed against it and people marched in protest on the City Hall.
The name of this terrible structure?
The Eiffel Tower.
Lighten up people and stop being so judgemental.
By Kip Baker on May 14, 2009 | Reply
Believe me, this is no Eiffel Tower!
I wouldn’t want it anywhere near where I live.
So many better alternatives on the market. Why would we do this to anybody?
No wonder the town of Goshen turned it down… I don’t think they will be alone in that decision.
By Large Scale Works on May 14, 2009 | Reply
Forget all this “economy version” stuff and let’s get the job done right.
Large scale wind and large scale solar will win in the end, and give us all the energy we need in the future.
Having these resources in concentrated-large scale facilities will eliminate the need to deal with UGLY technology solutions like this Optiwind thing.
My gosh…. What were these guys thinking when they came up with this up?
By Fal on May 18, 2009 | Reply
Evan,
You are an obnoxious knob! This thing is as ugly as your mother. Get a life you sad git!
By Molly on Feb 2, 2010 | Reply
This is revoltingly unattractive. I do hope if they are builtthey are hidden and FAR FAR away from where I live.!!!!1
By jitesh chauhan on Mar 29, 2010 | Reply
hi
jitesh