Lexington Farms wind turbines

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Have you ever seen an entire community of wind turbines? Lexington Farms Subdivision in Jerseyville, Illinois is exactly that. This community is totally energy self sufficient due to a combination of wind turbines and solar panels installed on every house.

The Illinois Housing Development Authority spent over $1.6 million to build the housing development, which is designated for lower income earners (below $41,000 annually). Each of the 32 single-family dwellings sports a Urban Green Energy vertical axis wind turbine and a set of solar panels. Even the street lights are powered by smaller, conventional wind turbines. Each hybrid system can produce up to 8.3 kW of energy, enough to take a large chunk out of the renters’ electricity bills.

lexington farms wind turbines

Each Urban Green Energy VAWT is an eddyGT, a 1kW wind turbine, standing about 9 ft tall. These turbines are rated for speeds of 26 mph, but turn in wind speeds as low as 8 mph. Imagine driving into a neighbourhood and seeing 32 wind turbines rotating above each house! Perhaps in a few years it won’t be such a rare sight, especially if municipal governments loosen their bylaw restrictions.

In the video below, the neighbourhood residents are interviewed and answer questions on the performance of the wind turbines. Most of them have seen reductions of $50 to $100 a month on their utility bills, with one guy even claiming a negative bill. This could happen if your turbine provides more power than you need and the excess energy gets fed back into the grid.

Click here for more information about Urban Green Energy.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nWeVeiBmj0′]

Fort Lauderdale Hilton Wind Turbine Installation

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The Hilton hotel group announced earlier this year that six wind turbines would be installed on the roof of the Fort Lauderdale Hilton. Of course, this wouldn’t be too exciting, except for the fact that they will be vertical axis wind turbines!

The wind turbines will be provided by Urban Green Energy. Each UGE-4K wind turbine will provide 4kW of energy. The height of the Hilton Fort Lauderdale lends itself to wind turbines, since standard commercial wind power is not typically economical in the flat landscape of Florida. The ascetically pleasing design of the UGE vertical axis wind turbines will mesh well with the high end luxury of the Hilton hotel chain.

Hilton UGE wind turbine plan

The six vertical axis wind turbines will be combined with a solar panel installation to create a hybrid generating station. The energy generated will be the equivalent of powering over 2500 lights in the hotel. Additionally, the hotel plans to build a small restaurant and lounge, nestled on the roof between the solar panels and wind turbines, creating an ecological oasis 200 ft above the beach.

Since opening in 2007, the Fort Lauderdale Hilton has made saving energy a priority. The hotel’s Green Team has overseen many energy reduction initiatives including recycling programs, automatic flush toilets and high efficieny lighting and batteries. The new wind turbines are the next big initiative for the hotel.

For a video of an Urban Green Energy 4kW vertical axis wind turbine in action, click here. 

 

Interstate Asphalt Vertical Axis Wind Turbine

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For several years now, the skies above Fort Lauderdale, Florida have been decorated with the spinning of a vertical axis wind turbine. Specifically, above the Interstate Asphalt building on SE 17th St.

The Urban Green Energy vertical axis wind turbine is a unique sight to behold in the industrial block of buildings. Installed in May 2011, the 4kW wind turbine was the result of a research project by Tufts University in Boston, MA. When winds are blowing at 20 mph, the wind turbine can power 100 40 Watt light bulbs (i.e. 4000 Watt generating capability).

Interstate Asphalt UGE Wind Turbine

Florida typically is not a prime real estate for wind power due to generally lower wind speeds and flat terrain, but the Urban Green Energy wind turbine can provide power at winds as low as 7 mph.

You can see the wind turbine installation yourself by checking out the Interstae Asphalt building at 1041 SE 17th St in Fort Lauderdale.

Click here for a video of another 4kW UGE turbine installation in Fort Lauderdale.

Interstate Asphalt newspaper clipping

 

 

 

Urban Green Energy wind turbine in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

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Here’s a video showing one of Urban Green Energy’s vertical axis wind turbines operating in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It looks incredibly surreal, with the blades turning hypnotically under the calm Florida skies.

The installation was done by Automated Life, Inc. based out of Boca Raton, Florida. Automated Life started as a home automation company, but has ventured into renewable energy. This installation appears to be a demo unit or temporary installation, as evidenced by the trailer mounting.

The vertical axis wind turbine is Urban Green Energy’s 4kW version, the UGE-4K. Standing just over 15 ft high, it provides 4kW of energy or 4000 Watts. The carbon fibre and fibreglass blades on this turbine can spin in winds of 7 mph and can also withstand winds of 123 mph.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mM3GnVCRTY’]

 

Mercedes-Benz Leads Way To Wind Energy In UK

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Mercedes Benz Wind Turbine Installation

Quiet Revolution wind turbine installed at Mercedes Benz in Tongwell

As more businesses turn to different kinds of green power, it’s always exciting to see businesses step out into a revolutionary mode and try something new and innovative. When  Mercedes-Benz UK announced they would install vertical axis wind turbines at their site in Tongwell, Milton Keynes, it brought out that kind of emotion. There were only five other turbines installed anywhere in the UK, so this was a very innovative move as the German automobile manufacturer made this decision. Even better, the turbines could be used to power their smart cars, in this case, the smart Fortwos.

 

The wind turbine the company installed was a 20m in height and its design was compact enough to be fully functional in an urban environment. Unlike horizontal axis wind turbines, the vertical axis wind turbines spin in a specialized helical pattern so the specially designed, carbon fiber blades will catch the air no matter which way the wind is blowing.

President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz UK, Wilfried Steffen, said: “Mercedes-Benz is taking the lead by installing this energy saving technology; we hope to inspire other local companies to do whatever they can to reduce their carbon footprint. Mercedes-Benz invests in a wide range of environmental technologies through its vehicles and production facilities and this is another way we can lead by example and make a difference.”

The turbine is expected to generate enough electricity to power two of the electric Fortwos for approximately 30,000 miles. This is approximately the same amount of power that would be required to power two average size houses for a year. Quiet Revolution Ltd is the renewable energy company that manufactured the wind turbines. These are the same turbines used at the 2012 London Olympics, although Mercedes was first!

Renewable energy has been a focal point of Mercedes-Benz as they have explored many other possible solutions such as rainwater harvesting, solar water heating, ground source heat pumps and other forms of wind energy.

London 2012 Olympic Wind Turbines

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Now that the Olympics have wrapped up it’s time to highlight an under-appreciated star. We’ve seen the likes of Usain Bolt and Michel Phelps take home multiple medals, but no ones mentioned the unsung heroes of the air.

Seven vertical axis wind turbines were installed in the London Olympic complex, contributing to Great Britain’s efforts in making the 2012 Olympics the greenest ever.

olympic wind turbineThe Olympic park was originally slated to host a large conventional axis wind turbine, but when this plan fell through, 7 smaller vertical axis wind turbines were installed. Not only did they provide renewable energy to power street lights, the modern design of the VAWT’s added to the overall artistic aesthetic of the Olympic site.

The wind turbines were manufactured by Quiet Revolution, an England-based wind turbine manufacturer. The qr5 model wind turbines are designed to provide up to 7500 kWh of energy per year each. Enough to reduce the energy required by the high powered street lights 40%.

Rising 18 m above street level, the unique design of the 8kW turbines provides an interesting showpiece for spectators and athletes as they walk from one event to the next.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uJCiJmVbjM[/youtube]

Smaller scale vertical axis wind turbines are more suitable for generating power within urban environments, due to fluctuating wind directions and speeds typical of most cities.

Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation Reduces Energy Dependence By Use of Vertical Axis Wind Turbines

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Oklahoma Medical Research wind turbinesThe Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF) is doing its part to help reduce heavy use of electricity. The facility hired SWG Energy Inc. out of Dallas,TX, to install 18 vertical axis wind turbines on top of their 130 foot tall research tower. The 18 turbines are installed in three parallel rows and have a specially designed hood mounted over them.

“One of the reasons we chose these particular turbines is because they are designed to generate less noise and vibration than windmill-type turbines,” said engineer and consultant Sheryl Rood. “But before we went ahead with the entire installation, we wanted to test for ourselves.”

SWG Energy Inc. began work on installing the Venger Wind Model 2 wind turbines that consist of a mixture of aluminum and steel. They are heavy enough to withstand the typical Oklahoma weather, yet light enough to use the maximum amount of wind power possible. These 4.5 kilowatt turbines will turn out approximately 85,500 kilowatt hours of energy per year, enough to power seven average homes. The created energy is released directly into the tower’s grid. The system is designed so that wind power is used as first priority but, if necessary, it switches to OG+E power.

On June 19, 2012, a ceremony was held on top of the tower and, as the wind whipped by at 30 mph, OMRF President Stephen Prescott, M.D., and Oklahoma Supreme Court Chief Justice Steven Taylor flipped the switch to begin a new era of energy conservation.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_6GG1pQ9Gg[/youtube]

The installation of the turbines also made OMRF the first medical research facility in the US to use wind-powered energy.

Vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT) are becoming popular as more companies look to reduce their dependence on the grid. VAWTs help reduce the ever-increasing, high energy costs for companies like the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation that use a heavy amount of energy.

For more information about Venger Wind, click here.

 

Offshore Energy: France’s 2MW Vertiwind

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Offshore Vertiwind Turbine

One of the largest vertical axis wind turbines in the world will be installed off the shores of France. The 2MW Vertiwind will go through a testing phase in 2012. Once that phase is complete, it will be moved offshore to become a floating vertical axis wind turbine. The testing will take place near Marseilles and the turbine should be ready for offshore implementation in 2013-2014.

Wind turbines have been increasing in popularity due to increased environmental efforts by dedicated people and companies. There are very few complaints with the machines but when there are complaints, they are usually due to the size and noise, although it should be noted that vertical axis wind turbines are very quiet as opposed to the more traditional horizontal axis wind turbines. By installing the turbines offshore, they will neither be seen nor heard.

The Vertiwind will operate offshore in deep water of at least 50 meters. Based on the concept, the actual machine will have a rotor measuring 50 meters in diameter with three 70 meter tall blades. These blades are angled at 120 degrees and will be connected to the floater by a pole or struts. Depending on the area’s seabed conditions, the unit will be connected to the bed with drag anchors or piles by use of a chain and wire three point spread.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkqzlEqsxww[/youtube]

The video above shows a simulation of the Vertiwind offshore floating vertical axis wind turbine in motion. Vertiwind plans to have another project completed by 2015 with a 13 turbine floating, wind farm totaling 25MW.

The impact offshore floating vertical axis wind turbines such as the Vertiwind will have on energy conservation efforts remains to be seen. As concerned people and companies lean more toward green power in their efforts to reduce dependency on the grid and save money, we may very well see many more of these types of offshore floating turbines in the future.

Minnesota Business Owner Installs Country’s First Urban Wind Farm

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St. Paul's Wind Turbine

Minnesota business owner Tony Magnotta has installed a mini vertical axis wind turbine farm on the rooftop of his office building in St. Paul. The three turbines on the rooftop were joined by a fourth turbine installed in his parking lot. Magnotta owns the office building and one of his companies, Minnesota Wind Technology, is housed in the building.

According to Magnotta this is the first urban wind farm of its kind in the country. Magnotta also installed solar panels, explaining that this would make the building “totally self-sufficient.”
The turbines installed are approximately eighteen feet tall and were manufactured by a Taiwanese company, HI-VAWT. “We switched from natural gas to electric heat. We’re saving hundreds to $1,000 a month,” said Magnotta, who is in discussions with the HI-VAWT to manufacture more turbines.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfK0q1hRpzo[/youtube]

The cost was not cheap; each turbine cost Magnotta $20,000 and he paid $50,000 for the solar panels. But because of the federal government incentives combined with the long-term energy savings, he believes it’s a good deal. As energy costs continue to increase on a constant basis, Magnotta says, “We’ll all have to do this.”

The wind turbine installation fits in well with the City of St. Paul’s energy conservation efforts as city officials are constantly looking for ways to create a more environmentally sustainable city.

There are three versions of the HI-VAWT turbine ranging from 300 watts to 3 kilowatts. The design is a combination of a stocky Savonius turbine along the axis and a set of three Darrieus blades.

Johnson System Inc Installs Vertical Axis Wind Turbine

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johnson systems wind turbineJohnson System Inc. (JSI) has recently installed a vertical axis wind turbine. Manufactured and installed by ArborWind in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this 50kw turbine will help the company in its environmental and energy conservation efforts. The goal of JSI and Arborwind is to produce electricity for 9 to 12 cents a KW/HR.

JSI, a leading manufacturer of agricultural products, received a $112,928 Community Development Block Grant to install the turbine. Howard and Kathleen Johnson founded the company and saw the construction and installation of the turbine as a chance to do something new.

“It’s not like the wind turbines you’ve seen before,” said Howard Johnson. “We were looking to get into green energy.”

 

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXXk79SxUec[/youtube]

JSI plans to add at least two more turbines in the future. The turbines are expected to create 15 jobs and generate $279,000 in private investment.

“Our efforts to diversify Michigan’s economy are working,” Gov. Jennifer Granholm said in the announcement. “We look forward to continuing to partner with innovative companies like Johnson System Inc. who are taking advantage of new opportunities and creating new jobs.”

The city stepped in to help JSI by providing for 12,548 to help support the expansion of the company. “We are very excited to have a role in Johnson System Inc. expanding into the renewable energy market through the manufacturing of towers that support wind turbines,” Mike Hindenach, manager of Marshall Economic Development, said in a prepared statement.