Windstalks: Wind Power without the Wind Turbine

[Horus]

This is a very cool idea I just found out about. It is being built now in Abu Dhabi in Dubai.

"What if you could have wind power without the need for dozens of pesky four hundred foot turbines and all the noise, low-frequency vibrations and strobing light associated with them? Instead, imagine something like a field of very tall reeds blowing in the wind, a forest of windstalks quietly generating power with kinetic energy."

http://www.enviralment.ca/2010/10/20...-wind-turbine/

[russ]

Disney Land supreme!

People whine about the looks of a turbine farm? These things are 55 meters tall.

They take up 100% of the footprint on the ground - forget farming around them.

Some day - maybe - we will see power curves and third party testing on the things.

Looks like it totally ignores wind shading in the picture - seems like that would be a big deal for the interior and back rows.

Noise? Flickering or funny shadows? Underwater?

I expect this will remain in the concept stage for a long time to come.

Russ

[kadesmith]

I see potential for these, but think they would be a lot neater if they were shaped to look like trees. That way it would just look like a forest blowing in the wind.