New Darrieus Wind turbine
Mariah Power of Reno Nevada has introduced a new wind generator called the Windspire. Standing at only 30 foot and with a footprint of 2 foot in diameter, makes this wind generator an attractive option for those living in a more confined area. The big plus for me is it doesn’t take a crane to put the Windspire up nor does it require guide wires. The Windspire is hinged so you can assemble it on the ground then raised with the use of a hand winch.
The Windspire design is not new. It is referred to as a “Giromill or Darrieus” Wind turbine and was first used by the Egyptians to grind wheat. When it comes to looks though, the Windspire is a far more attractive Darrieus turbine then most. In fact, I think it is quite attractive.
Darrieus Turbines come in a few varieties. Some have rotors with curved blades that look like an eggbeater and rotate about a vertical axis. Another variation uses straight-sided blades (airfoils) and is called a Giromill. Darrieus turbines, as with all vertical axis turbines, do not need to orient themselves with the changing wind directions and they readily capture wind energy from any direction. Read more
