14 DAY TRIAL // There are many places in the world where electricity is hard to come by, some where there is no electricity at all. Places that could do so much better with just a couple hundred watts of power.
Logistical issues have so far prevented the creation of large-scale hydroelectric power plants, or any other type of plant.
Wind-based installations are just as troublesome, but they have proven quite useful in arid climates where rivers are hard to come by.
Still, many places are too remote or isolated for power lines to make it all the way there. And solar energy cells just don't have the power absorption rate and affordability needed to solve the problem.
That is where small, individual wind turbines can have a great impact. Knowing this, one Canadian PhD candidate has created a new project.
A Small Turbine to Make a Big Difference
In this project, he proposes that 3D printed wind turbines be spread far and wide, like in Venecia, Nicaragua.
While Venecia is one of the most beautiful vistas outside of normal travel routes, it is also one where there is no electricity to begin with.
Basett decided to invent a small-scale wind turbine that could convert wind energy into storable power with the help of a small generator.
The generator would then send the power to a USB charging station which, in turn, could charge lithium-polymer (LiPo) battery packs.
Thus, the contraption could be used to provide power to laptops, portable torches / flashlights, cameras, phones, radio systems, etc.
The only pitfall is that the 3D printer used to make the turbine needs electricity of its own, so it would be impossible to make the installation on site, unless one brought a mobile fuel generator there for that purpose.
It might be worth the effort and one-time expense, however. Thanks to the unique sail blade design of the turbine, it can get energy even from weak breezes. And the vertical axis makes the whole unit fit in a 100 cm x 10 cm / 3 x 0.3 feet. Finally, the turbine can be set up in 2 minutes and can produce 5V of USB power on average.
Availability
Kyle Bassett, a student at the University of Windsor, will set up a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter at some point in the future. The total cost of the 3D printed wind turbine should stay at under $300 (€266) for each turbine, which is a reasonable one-time expense.
