Saturday, August 29, 2009

Green Communities Create Wind Power Gardens

The opportunity for using wind generators for Urban America is here today, as I learned about two new wind turbine systems this week. Both designs adopt the shape of jet engines but offer energy generating applications where low speed wind is available in the communities. One looks like a large sunflower and the other like a lily or harebell shaped. Think of a group of them spread over acres of land and that is your so called " Wind garden" inspired by natural flowers. Man takes lessons from nature and solves the energy problem in communities working in harmony with nature. Nice thought, and now ready to become reality.

Generating power at a cost comparable to what we pay to power company is no longer a dream for future. It is here today for people who should take advantage of tax credits, alternative energy grant subsidies and low interest loans to finance the installation. If you pay more than 6 cents per KWH then why not make your own power now with guarantee for NO INCREASE for next 20-30 years. As more people learn about these practical systems, and accept the visual look on roof tops or top of power poles, we will see these small turbines making 200 watt to 50 KW power where available wind speed is 10 to 20 MPH.

Now it is possible to visualize wind power generators looking like flowers mounted on 20 to 40 ft high poles or roof tops of the buildings. Soon we will see the wind mills along the hilly slopes of wineries and agricultural farms producing power for the local use and allowing power for irrigation. The opposition to traditional wind power towers would diminish and prosperity will come to our communities, because these wind turbines look good and makes power for less than what we pay today.

This is what the sustainable green communities are all about. Let wisdom prevail to adopt such technologies for common good.

Ram

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Urban wind turbines are here to make power in our communities

last week was great and inspiring for me. Small wind turbines that are affordable and aesthetically pleasing are under development and demonstration by many companies.

I was fortunate to meet the founder owner of one of these companies. This engineer is Princeton educated with PhD and expertise in thermodynamics & fluid dynamics. He shared information on many nature based products that could soon offer us renewable energy and conservation solutions to fight the war of independence from Oil.

My mind is now in high gear to think of the ways to try demonstrate these products in our Rochester NY communities and learn practical lessons and confirm the projections for costs and performance.

Imagine a large Fan in the shape of a sun flower , mounted on roof tops or poles making power in the areas where average wind speeds of 12 mph are available. This is reality now in many installations in Asia. Hopefully, soon these installations will be seen in America to benefit individual consumers with the help of tax credits or incentives from Utility and Government programs.

Bottom line is that we can make power at the point of consumption for under 10 cents per KWH. Why wait when we pay 10 to 12 cents per KWH to utility. Go for it if you live in windy cities.
Ram