Product Pick of the Week - The double-helix wind turbine or Aeroturbine

Right now wind energy is only being harnessed in the windy regions of the earth. Installation of wind energy on individual basis is unpopular because of production and cost inefficiency. Noise pollution and birds getting killed are also not quite attractive side-effects of the windmills. We can’t even imagine of installing windmills on high rise buildings due to their size and cost.

Dr. Bill Becker of university Illinois & Chicago too thought about all the drawbacks of the windmills and has come up with his own version in the wind turbine technology. This is a double-helix wind turbine known as aeroturbines. The design of these aeroturbines is simple and Dr. Becker tries to eliminate the drawbacks of the existing turbines. Harvesting wind energy from high rise buildings will be possible and production and cost efficiency will be the key factors. The propellers of these aero turbines resemble an electric beater and don’t look like a blade. These aeroturbines will not produce noise pollution and can be installed at the rooftops of high rise buildings.

The other plus factors of aeroturbines are that they are safe for birds. They can harness the power of multidirectional and gusting winds. They require low maintenance and are self regulatory as far as overspeed protection is concerned. Aeroturbines can work in a heavy snowfall too. They start working in a wind speed of 6mph. Continuous wind supply is not a precondition.

Two models of aeroturbines available are 510V and 520H. Both these models can easily be incorporated with solar photovoltaic systems. This urban-friendly wind power can be positioned horizontally hence they can be installed on existing high rise buildings. The structural design of aeroturbines are such that they can be easily integrated and installed into new as well as existing buildings and their model cages can be mounted in vertical, horizontal and diagonal orientations.

The aeroturbines must be installed 40 feet above the ground in order to operate efficiently and care should be taken that they are not obstructed by surrounding trees and other structures.

Such aeroturbines are expected to be available this year, with limited functionalities, for multi-family residential buildings, institutional buildings and commercial buildings.