A Revolutionary Solid
State Wind Power Generator
The bending motion of a flexible stalk is
converted directly into electricity, using
piezoelectrics. Here's how it
works. This is the video entry in
Google's Project 10^100
competition:
Major
Advantages:
- Omnidirectional - easily and naturally responds to any change in wind direction
- Low cost
- High efficiency
- One moving part
- No maintenance
- No noise
- No bird kill
- Safe and reliable
A Better
Alternative
The Windulum presents a better
alternative to expensive and unwieldy high-maintenance wind
turbines. Costing
substantially less than wind turbines, it has essentially
only one moving part.
“Gearboxes have been failing in wind turbines since the early 1990s. Barely a turbine make has escaped. The problem reached epidemic proportions with a massive series failure of gearboxes in NEG Micon machines. At the time, the NEG Micon brand was the most sold wind turbine in the world. The disaster brought the company to its knees; it was taken over by Vestas, the world’s largest wind turbine manufacturer, which still is challenged by gearbox and rotor failures." - Wind Power Monthly Nov. 2005
"After the industry’s recent boom years, wind power providers and experts are now concerned. The facilities may not be as reliable and durable as producers claim. Indeed, with thousands of mishaps, breakdowns and accidents having been reported in recent years, the difficulties seem to be mounting. Gearboxes hiding inside the casings perched on top of the towering masts have short shelf lives, often crapping out before even five years is up. In some cases, fractures form along the rotors, or even in the foundation, after only limited operation. Short circuits or overheated propellers have been known to cause fires. All this despite manufacturers’ promises that the turbines would last at least 20 years." - The Dangers of Wind Power, Spiegel Online
The manufacturing
complexities, the assembly of numerous components, the
cumbersome costly installations and maintenance, and the
growing dangers of wind turbines remain their primary
limitations; all of which are overcome by the
Windulum.
