Wind turbine
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Open Source Ecology is involved in researching, developing and building open-source technologies for clean, local electricity-generation. As well as solar power, we like wind power. Wind power or solar or both may be appropriate, depending on local materials and local weather conditions.
Specifically, we are interested in open-source designs for a wind turbine that can provide electricity for a small community. Small wind turbines like this are usually 7 feet (2m) to 25 feet (7.6m) in diameter.
Several wind turbines have already been open-sourced and it should be possible to use them for the Global Village Construction Set:
- The Zoetrope is a vertical-axis wind turbine made from common materials such as stove pipe, metal brackets, plastic sheet and a trailer hub. Generates about 150-200W. Construction Guide
- OtherPower.com have several complete plans for wind turbines that can be built at home. Their site has -
- Complete plans for a 10 foot (3m) turbine that puts out 100W in 10mph (16km/h) winds and 700W in 25mph (40km/h) winds.
- Design of a 14 foot (4.25m) turbine that does 200W in 10mph (16km/h) winds and 1500W in 25mph (40km/h) winds. This is the record of a project rather than a replicable open-source design.
- Chispito Wind Generator. Chispito is up to OSE Specifications: it is made from recycled/salvaged materials, completely open-source with clear instructions and designed for simplicity. Open-source instructions for building both the turbine and the tower are available. Each turbine generates about 100W; most people seem to use a bunch of them. It could be made even more OSE-friendly if someone 3D-scanned the blades so they could be digitally fabbed. It would also be nice if the blades could be built larger or smaller, though in effect, you can scale by changing the number of turbines.
http://www.scoraigwind.com/ has a lot of information on wind turbines, but no fully open-source plan
Open source alternator for wind turbines
Onawi is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to developing open-source wind turbines. No signs of progress yet, but watch this space.
References
- Homebrew Wind Power, Dan Bartmann and Dan Fink, Buckville Publications LLC., released: January 1, 2009, 320 pages,
ISBN: 978-0981920108.