Wind Turbines Evolved

[Kermit]

Here is an animation of a UK's companies design for the modern day urban landscape wind generator. It has some real definite advantages such as almost noise free operation and can generate energy more efficiently with indirect swirling winds.

http://www.youtube.com/user/MrKeepthelightson#p/c/0455AB4048051CB7/5/LTPz1tqDQrY

[SkywlkrSnd]

Vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT) such as these are a great evolution in the design of wind turbines. You're also starting to see these a lot more in urban applications and new LEED construction projects.

Quick take on the advantages of these designs over the traditional horizontal axis designs (from Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vertical-axis_wind_turbine)):
VAWT can be packed closer together in wind farms allowing more in a given space than with Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine (HAWT). This is not due to them being smaller size, but rather due to the slowing effect on the air that HAWT have, forcing a designer to have to place them ten times their width apart.

VAWT are rugged, quiet, omni-directional, and they do not create as much stress on the support structure. They do not require as much wind to generate power, thus allowing them to be closer to the ground. Being able to be closer to the ground allows them to be easily maintained and allows them to be placed in places such as chimneys and other similar tall structures.

[Kermit]

This is the first time I have heard of these. You say they are becoming more common? Is there any of these installed in North America? I'm very curious to see some real life examples as to see what the estimated versus actual output is in a real life situation. Very cool though, thanks for the additional info.

[SkywlkrSnd]

Here are some examples from Chicago-based Aerotecture International:

http://www.aerotecture.com/projects_mlh.html

http://www.aerotecture.com/Projects_qtg/6.jpg

http://www.aerotecture.com/projects_mlh/1.jpg

That last one is more of a vertical axis wind turbine laid horizontally...but not to be confused with a horizontal axis wind turbine. Boy, that sounds confusing when I say it like that...

[ribonzz]

Chicago must have think about their future about energy.. they have made wind turbines, in case of the energy runs out..

[Kermit]

I've gotta say, they actually look good. Obviously they are functional, but that could almost pass as a piece of architecture. I like those a lot! We need some of these in Toronto. Like Chicago there are some windy areas especially near the lake, which then creates some good wind tunnels down certain streets in between the high rises.