Architect redefines energy potential with wind power acceleration system

A Boston startup is attempting to redefine our energy potential with a new wind power accelerator. V Squared Wind, a finalist in last year's Cleantech Open, is trying to tap into the potential of wind power. By passively accelerating the wind, they hope to increase its available power while lowering its cost.

The innovation, according to V2, is the "aerodynamic opposite" of the current power-generating wind turbines, and though the "new system does increase system cost when compared to current three bladed wind turbines, the power increase is dramatically higher than that cost increase."

Their modular wind turbine system aims to speed up wind as it passes through, and in field tests of a scale model, the machine roughly doubled the speed of the incoming wind. According to V2, this a number about three times greater than any previous system.

The accelerator can be compact enough for urban wind generation, increasing the accessibility of wind energy, and potential applications range from small rooftop units to utility scale land based or offshore wind farms.

The turbines were designed to blend into urban and industrial built spaces, and their size is thought to eliminate sound pollution. Even wildlife was considered, and is protected by screens on both ends of the module.

This unique system is featured on the latest episode of 9.3, an online series focusing on issues of sustainability, named for the number of people projected to inhabit earth by 2050.

In the video, Rob Freda, founder and CTO of V2,  discusses the methods V2 uses in accelerating the wind as well how we can think about wind as a source of energy in a different way.

The program is produced by Whole Foods Market as part of their online programming dedicated to food, urban farming, the environment and eco-design.

Photo: V2 Wind

This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com