Google Project 10^100 submission - proven wind energy

Soaring fuel costs and environmental impact of fossil fuels hurts everyone around the world, but over 1.6 billion people in the world live in darkness with no electricity.

Wind energy is a solution, but has had problems including the need for high winds and expensive materials, manufacture and infrastructure. Small-scale wind turbines have historically been inefficient and impractical for even basic power needs.

The solution is a recently designed small-scale wind turbine, proven to produce approximately 50 watts in 12 mile per winds, at a cost of approximately $100. This turbine (1) produces usable and materially significant power at extraordinary efficiency for its small size (2) is relatively inexpensive to construct and (3) is easy to manufacture and set up. This makes it an ideal candidate for application particularly in poorer developing communities around the world who (1) can benefit greatly from even small (but sufficient) electric power (2) can actually puchase/build/implement this turbine because of its relative affordability and ease of construction/manageability.

Developing countries and governments afflicted with poverty, political instability, and soaring costs cannot create power, deliver or maintain even basic energy infrastructures that so many of us take for granted. Its not just energy, but the technological, social and economic advancements that come with energy that they are deprived of, and that developed countries have enjoyed. Unfortunately, most alternative energy solutions involve high costs and difficulty in manufacturing, deployment and implementation. Large scale wind turbines require high speeds and are extremely expensive and infrastructure intensive. Attempts at applying small scale wind turbines to the problem have met with failure due to inefficiency and inadequate power. The specially designed small scale wind turbine addresses these issues successfully.
Developing communities would be primary beneficiaries of the idea. Because of their relatively modest need for power, ~50 Watts in 12mph winds attainable by this special turbine can easily run multiple LED lights, charge many cell phone batteries, and recharge a depleted 12V car battery (a major source of electricity in the third world) in less than one day. At a cost of ~$100, which will be less once production ramps up, households/villages would be able to share the cost and benefits of these turbines. By not only manufacturing and distributing the turbines but also enabling local manufacture and deployment, additional benefits of job creation and economic stimulation would be realized, helping significantly in moving these regions forward technologically, economically and socially a deep, profound impact. Also to benefit would be consumer and commercial patrons in developed nations wishing to augment their electric use renewably.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• wind
• energy
• turbine
• google
• project
• ten
• hundred
• 10
• 100
• non-profit
• green
• alternative
• solution
• solar
• charity
• environment