Micro-wind generator- Cheap and easy electricity

[TheFriendlyAnarchist]

http://www.jetsongreen.com/2007/10/windbelt-microw.html?cid=86162904

>
This is the first approach that uses aeroelastic flutter to create super cheap electricity. We're talking about changing the way wind energy is harvested and captured. Frayne won a 2007 Breakthrough Award from Popular Mechanics, and he deserves it. This incredible technology is 10-30 times more efficient than the best micro-turbines. So, Frayne hopes to fund third-world distribution of the Windbelt through sales in first-world applications. So inspiring ... <

I'm currently attempting to build some of these. They are incredibly neat, and while they don't make much energy on their own, imagine building stacks of them in place of the currently expensive and cumbersome turbines.

[ClarkUSA]

1. Sounds very interesting.

Do they hook into a conventional home's grid easily? My home is powered 100% by electricity.

[TheFriendlyAnarchist]

3. No, not yet.

He designed them for lighting simple circuits in 3rd world countries. However once I get a few going, my plan is to rig them together into a converter, a transformer, and a rechargable battery (probably 12 volt for the time being) and from there it gets a little easier depending on how your home is wired. My hope is to run some of our LED cabinet lights (a rather trivial use, yes, but my mom wanted me to do something with this, and it seemed like a reasonable goal)

[sailor65]

4. Not at all.

The manifestation you see here will not generate the AC you need. most of your home's appliances are dependent on the 60hz from the grid. even if the voltage and power level were sufficient, the frequency would not be correct. Yet.

[TheFriendlyAnarchist]

5. Aye, yet.

But if power companies can figure out a way to do these large scale and then convert it, we may very well be in business.

On another note, I'm no electrical engineer. I've done some research but nothing too extensive. I'm curious what how YOU would charge 12 v batteries with these, as my dad and I have a few ideas, but are looking for more (the ultimate goal is to get a few dozen of these working, but atm it's just a hobby of putting it together and playing with it). Also, do you have any good sources for learning more?

[kenfrequed]

2. Hmm

I had an idea using microswitch tension energy storage designed to look like blades of grass. Wish I would have had the tech know-how to develop it.

[TheFriendlyAnarchist]

6. Interesting thought

and yes. I am trying to keep this kicked.

[burrowowl]

13. K&R!

[Pab Sungenis]

7. I love that idea!

Could you imagine a park where all the grass is really a series of microfiber wind energy collectors, and all the walkways are photovoltaic cells under reinforced polycarbonate? A huge power plant AND a recreation area.

This kind of thought is why I think we need a real Manhattan Project for alternative energy technologies.

[Kurovski]

8. K&R. (nt)

[DeSwiss]

9. Absolutely fantastic!!!

- K&R!!!

[RufusTFirefly]

10. Democratizing power

Although I have tremendous respect for engineers and other experts, you shouldn't have to be wealthy or a Ph.D. in order to light your home. That's what's so great about this generator. It's simple and cheap.

[Swamp Rat]

11. k&r

[earth mom]

12. This is absolutely fantastic!

See what can be done if people put their minds to it? Energy crisis potentially solved! :woohoo:

[democrank]

14. Interesting read.

Thanks

[formercia]

15. What about noise?

It seems like it would be difficult to get any sleep with a bunch of fluttering generators going.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

16. horrible idea.

Does no one here care about how the wind feels about it? If we go around stealing all of the wind's energy, it is going to get tired, angry and just quit on us, and then where would we be? Breaking wind takes on a whole new meaning.

And, if that happens, all my Earth Wind and Fire albums will have to be renamed! The Horror!



Still, the efficiencies they are talking about are pretty cool. Now, if we only had battery technology that could safely and cheaply store any and all excess power. There is the real roadblock to energy independence and getting rid of imported oil.

[formercia]

18. With all the drag from the generators

extracting energy, the earth is bound to slow down and all the clocks on earth will have to be replaced at intervals to account for the increasing day length.

[TheFriendlyAnarchist]

19. See? He solved two problems in one!

I always wanted longer days. . .

[ChairmanAgnostic]

20. My gosh, we'll be sounding like freepers if we keep this up.

In the words of the late, great Sir Dougie Adams, their universe is not curved, it's bent.

Still energy storage is a problem. Perhaps when our high temp. superconductivity programs take off, we can store huge amounts of energy efficiently and cheaply

[formercia]

22. The freepers are permanently in the dark anyway

and won't even notice.

[formercia]

21. If you can get the earth to stop

all the Uber-rich will buy up the permanent sunrise and sunset properties, but then there will no longer be sunrises and sunsets.
:rofl:

[ChairmanAgnostic]

23. Didn't doug Adams write about a planet with

constant twilight at the beach?

[formercia]

24. Goodbye and thanks for all the fish?

is the one I remember.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

25. don't panic. I think that's the one.

a five volume trilogy. great stuff.

[Jackpine Radical]

32. I think the battery technology is conming.

Some of it is probey here already (but suppressed). --See Who Killed the Electric Car
In the meantime, ther are some interesting possibilities such as storing energy as compressed air.

[BornagainDUer]

34. That's a good argument for increasing global warming. More hurricanes

and storms=more wind=equals more wind generated electricity! I think I'm going to go drive a gas guzzler. :crazy:

[lonestarnot]

17. woot!

Good on you friendly anarchist! :applause:

[alfredo]

26. How long will the strip last, and how easy will it be to replace.

It's a wind harp.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeolian_harp

[TheFriendlyAnarchist]

28. I don't know how long it will last, or how often it must be adjusted, but it's easy to replace.

[alfredo]

31. That's good then.

[suziedemocrat]

27. It's stories like these that keep me coming back to DU!!!

Even after someone mocks my spelling or cognitive skills, I come back because I seem to get more useful news here than anywhere else.

Thanks!

[BornagainDUer]

29. K&R! To keep us all aware of the possible.

[TheFriendlyAnarchist]

30. Thanks!

I'm having varied results on my replication, but there is alot of potential here.

[BornagainDUer]

33. Keep us posted. I love this stuff. The biggest obstruction

to developing renewable technologies is the undermining of those efforts by the fossil fuel and nuke energy interests. Like why does BP "buy into" ethanol? The same reason why GM bought up the mass transit systems of many cities back in the 40's. They buy em up, break em up,and keep their own product in high demand. We could have been energy independent 100 years ago.