New, radically more efficient wind turbines

Photo Credit fieldsbh

The traditional look of windfarms, like the one above, could be changing if an article I read on News.com recently is anything to go by. The piece was about a new type of wind turbine from a company called FloDesign.

The devices have:

• -shorter sturdier rotors so the turbines can be placed closer together. This also vastly eases the problems associated with transporting normal blades
• -smaller blades which also means that the turbines can continue operating at higher wind speeds long after existing wind turbines would have to shut down
• -a fin which points it into the wind, negating the need for a motor to turn it and thus making it easier to maintain and more efficient and
• -a cowled prop, not unlike jet engines, which generates vortices. These vortices magnify the energy from the wind allowing them to capture 3-4 times more energy than traditional wind turbines.

Small wonder then that they have been winning prizes all over the place and, according to the News.com article, attracting the attention of pre-eminent VC firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers.

For more check out this fascinating video put together by the company: