Jérôme Michaud-Lariviere, the founder of the New Wind company, developed the WindTree structure, which resembles a natural tree in shape and size and is capable of producing energy almost 24 hours a day.
Detailed information about the invention is available on the official website.
The artificial tree has 72 vertical-axis micro-turbine "leafs" (known as Aeroleafs) and is designed for urban spaces where it can harness the gentle winds that circulate around buildings.
Jérôme Michaud-Lariviere with a "leaf"-turbine. Photo: AFP.
Each tree is 11m tall and 8m in diameter at its widest point, making it the same size as many urban trees. According to Michaud-Lariviere, the tree can use wind blowing at speeds of up to 2 m/s, making it twice as sensitive as traditional turbines and useful for more than 280 days a year.
Photo: AFP
However, they are also strong enough to withstand Category 3 winds, which can reach 178-208 km/h. Each block has an output power of about 3.1 kW. This may seem modest in itself, but a few trees grouped together in parks or green spaces between buildings can generate enough energy to make a significant difference. In addition, their orientation reduces noise, and each turbine spins silently.
Each "leaf" of the turbine, called an Aeroleaf, is made of lightweight plastic. The plastic is treated with resin, which protects it from weather conditions such as humidity and salt (which comes in handy if the "tree" is installed in a seaside town). In addition, the turbines are connected in parallel, so if one of them stops working for some reason, it will not affect the work of the others.
In real conditions, one "tree"-generator produces up to 2 thousand kWh per year.
The other day, EcoPolitic talked about fundamentally new wind generators from the company Vortex Bladeless, which use vibration.
