A Madrid-based green energy company is pioneering the use of bladeless windfarms to harness wind energy.
Created by startup Vortex Bladeless, the 3m-high cylindrical turbines are designed to oscillate within the wind range, generating electricity from the vibration.
The bladeless design recently won the approval of Norway’s state energy company Equinor, which named Vortex on a list of the 10 most exciting startups in the energy sector. It will also offer the firm development support through its tech accelerator programme.
Vortex Bladeless inventor David Yáñez told The Guardian that the firm is “not against traditional windfarms” but its technology “has different characteristics which can help to fill the gaps where traditional windfarms might not be appropriate”.
This could include urban and residential areas where there is limited space to build traditional windfarms and where reduced visual impact would be welcome. According to Yáñez the main benefit of the technology is “in reducing its environmental impact, its visual impact, and the cost of operating and maintaining the turbine”.
more: https://www.newcivilengineer.com/latest/spanish-firm-pioneers-bladeless-wind-turbines-17-03-2021/