These are the Mk.VIII and Mk.IX prototype blade assemblies turning in wind averaging 4 m/s.
Both have motors and tachometers fitted, so we know that the Mk.IX is more efficient than the Mk.VIII. Atmospheric data is being captured and a camera has been mounted to enable a socially distanced team (in the UK and in the USA) to monitor the results. Both turbines are producing electrical energy.
The video was taken on 27 August 2020.
This video was taken exactly a year earlier and is of the very first basic concept model, the Mk.I
We wanted to see if our idea for a wind turbine with no central shaft, that rotated around a static pole (or in this case a piece of plastic pipe) was even feasible.
No expense was spared obviously as the bearings cost the grand sum of £3 for the pair, the plastic pipe was sourced from the back of the garden shed and the “blades”…? Well, they were made from used Schweppes tonic bottles (there may have been a helping hand from Gordon’s along the way).
A year later and we have built a further eight versions of the blade assembly and have shown that we can produce energy in natural airflow.
The fun starts when we put them on the highway next year and really see how much energy they can produce.
Head over to our Instagram page to see how our turbines have evolved over the past year and follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter for regular progress updates.
