When we think that researchers have found the optimal way to generate clean energy, along comes someone else with something even more innovative and cutting-edge. A start-up based in Lancaster, England, has decided not to bother with solar panels and turned its sights to the wind. They have come up with a creative and effective design for a wind sphere that will revolutionize the way we channel the breeze to obtain power.
Wind turbines: a good, if unstable solution
The English start-up O-Innovations has designed a wind turbine to beat all wind turbines. Wind turbines are a sustainable way of producing renewable energy. We can see them, scattered throughout the countryside, as we travel along a country road.
Ups and downs of wind turbines
Wind turbines have many advantages:
- They do not require fuel, since the wind is their fuel.
- They produce zero CO₂ emissions.
- Maintenance costs are relatively low, once they have been installed.
- They can be placed on agricultural land, thereby exploiting the full potential of the land.
But the traditional design with the blades for wind turbines has its drawbacks:
- The wind is not constant, and it doesn’t always have the same speed.
- The efficiency of wind turbines fluctuates depending on whether there is low wind or high wind.
- If there’s too little wind, they won’t produce so much energy.
- If the wind is too strong, they will shut down as an automatic safety measure.
O-Wind: Anyway the wind goes, it doesn’t really matter
O-Wind O-Wind, O-Innovations’ state-of-the-art design is completely different from a usual wind turbine. Firstly, unlike a regular wind turbine with blades, it is spherical and bladeless. The advantage of the lack of blades is that the risk of humans, or birds for that matter, getting hurt has been eliminated. Plus, it produces zero noise.
Secondly, the wind sphere is omnidirectional. The prefix “omni” comes from Latin and means “all” or “everywhere”. In the case of this particular wind turbine, it means that it can harness the wind coming from all directions. In a city, the wind is erratic, it is affected by the building’s layout and even by the amount of traffic.
What makes O-Innovations’ design so pioneering?
The spherical, bladeless design makes O-Wind perfect for cities and urban areas for two reasons. The first one is that it adapts to the current characteristics of cities and is able to make up for future vulnerabilities. Cities never stop growing, buildings get higher, and sunlight cannot filter through. Additionally, there is more wind at ground level. O-Wind can adapt to the wind variation and can harness it to turn it into energy.
The second reason why O-Wind is optimal for urban areas is that the design is harmless. There is no risk of a blade coming off and wreaking havoc. The population of birds, the indisputable rulers of every city in the world, is left to fly in peace without the danger of having their feathers plucked. However, the output produced by O-Wind will vary depending on specific location, according to O-Innovations’ official reports.
Moreover, its surface has channels that help the air flow and make the sphere rotate and follow the direction of the wind. The generator absorbs rotational movement and creates energy. That is why it is so adaptable, it doesn’t matter where the wind comes from, O-Wind will chase it.
Unlike regular wind turbines, which are usually found in rural areas, O-Wind is ideal for the city. It can channel the unruly and abundant city wind and turn it into energy. It has a safe and innovative design that is sure to bring the winds of change.