| By :
Roger Brown
How can we explain the vertical helix wind turbine for the home? If it is so great, why has it only captured a very small portion of the wind turbine market so far? Vertical helix windmills won't change the market until they change. They are just too grossly inefficient and expensive now.
The vertical wind industry in general just hasn't had much luck dominating the market. With only about 1% of the units out there being vertical, they have a long way to go on that front, too. Experts in wind technology claim that manufacturers of vertical turbines know their products are weak and promote them to a buying public red-hot to buy anything renewable. They say these units don't perform as advertised and that the idea of putting a turbine down in chaotic wind close to the ground is foolish. It is true the best wind is up higher above the tree line. Sometimes people are willing to live with relative inefficiency though to get a product that looks great. If that weren't so, there wouldn't be a Ferrari or a Harley Davidson. The concept of vertical blade orientation has been around for a long time. In Germany back in the middle part of the 18th century, vertical turbines began to perform functions like grinding grain. As far as competing with horizontal devices, here's why verticals are up a creek without a paddle. Here are the 3 main factors used when comparing wind turbines and why horizontals win in most of them: 1. Efficiency of power production: Lousy efficiency in power production is what vertical windmills are known for. If they are of the Savonius variety, they operate off of the aerodynamic principal of drag differential and perform in the 5-10% efficiency range. Darrieus style turbines, which look like eggbeaters, are more efficient. Some approach efficiencies of horizontals in the 30-35% range, but they need a powered assist to get the blades turning because of all the torque. Another problem with verticals is that they tend to operate in chaotic wind closer to the ground. Horizontal wind turbines are installed on towers higher up in the windstream and benefit from the more steady and consistent wind found there. 2. Aesthetics of the windmill It has been shown in studies in Europe that people just like looking at vertical wind turbines operate. Their frequency has a calming effect, like waves on the beach. 3. Price of the unit Vertical wind turbines cost a lot more than horizontals. Many of the pre-fab modular units cost 4-5 times more than a comparable horizontal wind turbine. That's because they haven't caught on yet, economies of scale are keeping the prices very high. In summary, vertical helix wind turbines just simply lose in almost every important category used to rate wind turbines. In all fairness though, they are easy to locate and that is very important for the future. Their setup simplicity will weigh heavier in buying decisions later, as prices inevitably decline, living with the inefficiencies of the vertical wind turbine will be increasingly easier. These windmills can be very pleasant to look at and hold a great deal of promise for those who believe installation of small units on roofs can put a serious dent in the energy crisis. One really positive thing about the vertical helix wind turbine for the home is that they have the ability to change the way people feel about wind energy. The NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) syndrome that has slowed installation of wind in urban and residential settings will not have the same effect on decision making.
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