Australian develops diminutive wind turbine for household energy

Generally speaking, wind turbines have been reserved for more macro-scale operations, but a West Australian inventor "believes he has developed a way to generate electricity for homes using wind power." This residential approach utilizes a modular turbine that is minuscule enough to perch atop nearly any roof without causing too much unsightliness, and can create power for the house to consume as the wind pushes its blades. Additionally, Graeme Attey suggests that solar panels could be used in conjunction with his creation, giving you double the renewable energy opportunities (at least during the day). Currently, Mr. Attey's device is being partially funded by the West Australian government, and homeowners who toss one up on their crib could receive a rebate if in fact this is ready for commercialization next year.

[Thanks, Strayan]

[Aller @ Jul 3rd 2007 6:56AM]

There's already a commercial product that promises the same.
http://www.windside.com/

[Steve Paine @ Jul 3rd 2007 8:24AM]

Looks noisy to me!

[abigsmurf @ Jul 3rd 2007 8:17AM]

What kinda power does this get? anything under 1kw typical would be a waste of time. Also seems to rely on wind blowing a certain way

[Joe Maki @ Jul 3rd 2007 9:11AM]

It's designed to supplement your electric usage, not take you off the grid. I think it's a very practical design. The modular aspect allows you to add more units as you can afford them. Mounting along the ridgeline should help capture and concetrate the available wind.

[murray @ Jul 3rd 2007 4:12PM]

Go look up "prevailing winds".

[007baf @ Jul 3rd 2007 8:40AM]

I clicked on the existing commercially available wind turbine, but it's pretty darn unsightly and wouldn't stand a chance of making it past most communities' homeowner covenants.

I would like to see more info on cost, performance, and maybe it is noisy, but I can tell from a picture. Maybe a link to the Australian developer/government with more info would be good.

[mr friggles @ Jul 3rd 2007 9:15AM]

geesh. could you make a few more assumptions.

[chas @ Jul 3rd 2007 10:05AM]

There is already a company in Texas that does this called Magwind.

[Frank V. Roesler III @ Jul 3rd 2007 9:16AM]

I want one of these so badly!!! I'm OBSESSED with renewable household energy and I love the concept that if you pump energy back into an existing electric grid, that electric company has to pay YOU for the electricity. I don't know this for a fact, but the way I understand it this is actually a federal regulation put in place. With as high of a roof line as I have on my house, it'd be perfect for a few of these turbines not to mention running the home off of rainwater collection and lots of surface area for solar panels. Now if I only had the money to put all this stuff in action.

[jaredhill @ Aug 23rd 2007 3:40PM]

Grid interconnected PV and/or wind systems can indeed send clean AC electrical power back to the power grid. In most areas this is referred to as "net metering", because your existing electrical meter is actually turned backwards as electrons flow from your home into the grid, and turns forward whenever your load exceeds your charge capacity. Other areas require a second meter to monitor outflowing electricity. Unless regulations have recently changed the Utility Company is never going to write you a check for your excess input (above your own loads). The best you can get is a "zero point" where your monthly bill is offset by your input to the grid. Does anyone know if this has changed?

[frank d @ Jul 3rd 2007 9:23AM]

I love the idea!

I'm just curious about the directional sensitivity. This good be good if you are near the ocean and have a daily breeze from the same axis. However the strongest wind depends on the movement of warm & cold fronts ... so you could be losing out the on the best days.

I would turn this thing on it's head so it can catch wind from 360 degrees.

[z0idberg @ Jul 3rd 2007 9:39AM]

In Western Australia (Perth specifically - the capital city there), they have very regular wind coming in off the sea every afternoon, called the "Fremantle Doctor" (mentioned in the link given by frank d ).

[frank d @ Jul 3rd 2007 9:23AM]

The device in action:

http://www.metaefficient.com/archives/renewable-power/rooftop-wind-turbine-prototype-from-australia.html

I still would come out with a vertical model so wind direction doesn't matter! Unless this thing is so efficient ... maybe when it is extra wide? Has some wider channels in the blades.

[murray @ Jul 3rd 2007 4:19PM]

A vertical version would likely be less efficient. The idea is to position this at the point where the airflow is concentrated over the top of the roof of a building. Lying the generator down horizontally would (I'm guessing) probably allow it to be immersed in that air flow. Stand it up, and perhaps it would poke up out of the top of the flow. I hope that makes sense. Also, keep in mind that overall wind direction tends to be consistent in any given place.

[SjG @ Jul 3rd 2007 1:11PM]

And another in Torrance (with the vertical turbine orientation): http://www.pacwind.net/

[SjG @ Jul 3rd 2007 1:14PM]

Dammit. Didn't mean to hit submit yet. Check out PacWind's SeaHawk. It's a 0.5kW turbine that'll go in as little as 7mph wind. At $3k, it's more expensive than photovoltaics, but it still seems like a cool device. When I win the lotto, I plan to pick up a couple for the garage.

[frank d @ Jul 3rd 2007 1:34PM]

Right, that's the supplier for Jay Leno's green garage. The cost is very steep though.

If this developer (team) could do a different mount for a slightly higher price - it would still be < $1000 and omni-directional.
Or maybe create a vertical model that is ultra low-profile (about the same dimensions H & W, but containing a disc?

Anyway, the more people get on board, developing different models, the better :) More production, higher efficiency, lower cost.