TREE-HUGGING TURBINE

摘要

Wind power is an attractive source of energy, but five-story turbines are an eyesore. So mechanical engineer Sridhar Condoor of St. Louis University designed VayuWind, the first hollow wind turbine, which can wrap around arnchimney, utility pole or tall tree. Condoor has tested a smaller prototype and plans to have six-by-six-foot, one-kilowatt windmills ready next year. Under average winds of 9 mph, the one-kilowatt model could supply up to three quarters of an average home's energy needs.