Biggest Installation of Silent Urban-Styled Wind Turbines
Thu, Dec 4, 2008
Image: mike.pevsner
Wind may be picking up faster than any other energy source, but harnessing its power is largely left to remote wind farms that not everyone is crazy about. Keen to see the wind change in the way wind power is perceived on the street, Quietrevolution (QR) has done a makeover on the design of wind turbines, so they’ll look, sound, and work better in urban environments. No storms kicked up over them spoiling the view. No waking the neighbours with that ghastly noise. No worries getting the best out of wind in built-up areas.
Gracing the skyline: Quietrevolution’s new installation in Croydon
Image: quietrevolution
The brand has just completed its largest installation to date, in Croydon in Greater London. Featuring a row of eight rooftop wind turbines, which together can generate enough energy for an office of nearly two hundred people, it’s the latest in a series of projects to have appeared in towns and cities across the UK. But what’s so radical about QR’s big idea?
QR turbine with cotton wool balls? No, and you won’t need them either
Image: quietrevolution
Thanks to the aerodynamics of its vertical-axis wind turbine (VAWT) design, Quietrevolution has trademarked that most valuable of commodities in a world dominated by din: near silence. According to their website, those elegant S-shaped rotor blades shed noise and minimise vibration. Compare your typical horizontal-axis wind turbines (HAWTs), which sometimes hit the headlines - denied planning permission due to local opposition.
Eyesore or sight for sore eyes? Horizontal-axis wind turbines (HAWTs)
Image: Toutoune25
While some might wonder what all the fuss is about - hey, we’ve long been beset by electric pylons - these new turbines are visually less obtrusive too. They’re to come in various sizes, though even the jumbo 12m by 7m model will be dwarfed by most of its HAWT counterparts. And check out that triple helix shape, DNA-style. Fitted to the top of towers and around other structures, the turbines are designed to complement the aesthetics of surrounding buildings. Architects have given their approval, with Millennium Eye visionaries Marks Barfield incorporating them into their design for The Beacon, a 40m high concept planned to for installation in major sites around London. Meanwhile, no complaints so far from Mrs Jones next door.
Why it’s something to look forward to: The Beacon, by architects Marks Barfield
Image: Marks Barfield
If the QR turbines are to brighten not be a blight on the urban landscape, its display turbines may have some say on the matter. Though still a product in in its early stages of development, the idea is that as the blades revolve, attached LEDs will light up in sequence, creating a screen that depicts colourful and moving images mid-air. Nifty, no? Well even if advertising here proves less illuminating to onlookers, people should at least be enlightened by displayed messages on climate change, or the turbines spinning as works of art in themselves.
Street cred from neat LEDs? Light Emitting Diodes to create dazzling displays
Image: Juan Freire
If all this sounds a bit flash for renewable energy, you’ll be glad to know that when it gets down to nuts and bolts, the folks at Quietrevolution aren’t dim either. Designed to capture gusty, shifting wind patterns, the turbines work more efficiently in urban settings, where buildings create turbulence. Unlike HAWTs, VAWTs aren’t dependent on air currents blowing from a single direction, so don’t have to use up energy swiveling to face into the wind. Another bright idea all round.
Not messing with the rotation: VAWTs don’t need to turn to point into the wind
Image: thingermejig
Source: Quiet Revolution
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3 Trackbacks For This Post
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December 6th, 2008 at 2:25 am
Wow dude that is WAY cool!
http://www.privacy.de.tc
December 6th, 2008 at 3:15 am
Great design for these new wind turbines.
Less noise is always good, and they look
better than the old style turbines.
thanks from tony
December 6th, 2008 at 10:39 am
i think it would be great if they would make wind mills a darker color when they install them in the back-country. it’s such an eye sore to see them against the mountains…. paint them dark brown already!
December 6th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
What a awesome and beautiful idea! I wanted to build my own wind turbine for my home, but didnt want a horrible looking propeller in my yard. Maybe working off this idea would allow something good looking to be part of modern living. Thanks for the article!
December 6th, 2008 at 6:11 pm
What sound DO they make? How about some audio of the building in Croydon from street level and from a room on the top floor?
December 6th, 2008 at 11:25 pm
Well writen zrticle, but it was the pictures which captivated me. How wonderously beautiful these different-than-most-wind-turbines are. The eye flows along the gracefully curved panes. Paint them brown?!?! Oh please - no, no.
December 7th, 2008 at 2:06 am
nice design
December 7th, 2008 at 9:24 pm
Neat wind machine, Are they mass producing or is it just in prototype.
If it truly can handle the turbulence issue as implied it is a major advance
in the renewable world. I have been in the business in the US for 10 years and
have seen all kinds of designs come and go. I would be interested in investigating this machine for the US market. The bearings in the machine for accepting the thrust loads would be the traditional failure mechanism in this type of turbine. “The answer my friend is blowing in the wind” Dylan.
All the Best
Tim Haney
Tranquility Holdings Co.
Tranquility Tennessee USA
December 8th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
Great Article!! Thanksz
December 8th, 2008 at 5:16 pm
nice design…
December 20th, 2008 at 7:29 pm
Great design for these new wind turbines…
December 21st, 2008 at 6:45 am
That’s what I call innovation! I like that installed outside my garden. Hope it’ can power-up my house. Even better if it’s typhoon-proof. Typically a space-saving idea. The blades are savvy-looking, and pretty much decorative too. The fact about it is the operator of the wind turbine doesn’t need to look for the wind direction. Cool. ^_^.v..
December 23rd, 2008 at 1:28 am
Vertical wind turbines are nothing new. That’s great (visual design) but unfortunately the turbines will not output as much as a normal three bladed horizontal axis turbine. It’s a fact that these designs have been toyed with since the first vertical axis turbine patent in the 1930’s. What would be new is if one actually performed well enough to beat a real turbine in pound for pound performance, they can’t, that’s why you don’t see big utility windfarms using them. If you really serious about home wind power, check out the well proven systems like WindEnergy7.com sells. Those are real turbine systems built to perform and last. Vertical wind turbine…, it’s a fad.