Articles by
Paul Gipe
Betz: Everything You Need to Know about Wind Turbines Was Written in 1927
By
Paul Gipe
Yes, I’ve written about this subject once before, Everything You Need to Know about Wind Energy Was Written in 1957!, but I am moving the date back thirty years in the light of more research. The more I learn about wind energy, the more I realize how little I know.
Darrieus and His Vertical-Axis Wind Turbines (VAWTs)
By
Paul Gipe
Largely forgotten today, Georges Jean Marie Darrieus was one of France’s great engineers. While he is mostly known in the English-speaking world for his patent on vertical-axis wind turbines (VAWTs), he was a prolific inventor in a number of fields from ballistics to turbo-alternators.
Factcheck: How much power will UK electric vehicles need?
By
Paul Gipe
For example, in February, the Times claimed that the UK would need 20 new nuclear plants to cope with demand from EVs. The article’s claim, repeated by the Mail Online, was later removed with a correction acknowledging a “significant miscalculation”.
Photos of Dabiri VAWT Test Site—Wing Power Turbines are Down
By
Paul Gipe
Oh the ways of the wind. It blows where it will--or something to that effect. We were on our way to pick cherries. That’s a fairly innocuous activity. From Bakersfield we had to cross the Antelope Valley to reach Palmdale. Well, I thought. I might as well stop by Dr. John O. Dabiri’s test site and take some pictures of his experiment in “schooling” wind turbines.
SheerWind Invelox Demo Turbine in Need of Demolition
By
Paul Gipe
The Chaska, Minnesota promoter of a ducted wind turbine appears to have fallen on hard times. The fabric covering of the intake duct for their demonstration turbine is torn and in disrepair and the rotor in the duct was not turning notes a passerby who was curious about the highly-hyped design.
Wind Day in Woodstock, Ontario
By
Paul Gipe
York University’s International Renewable Energy Academy designated 29 June as the “wind day” on their week-long program.
Dueling Wind Ties in Woodstock
By
Paul Gipe
The 29 June was the “wind day” for York University’s International Renewable Energy Academy. As the featured speaker to start the day I donned one of my favorite wind tie.
Porterville Electric Bus Photos
By
Paul Gipe
Rowell saw the bus, recognized its significance, and took a series of photos. He says the electric bus was on its way back to Porterville after a promotional tour of the Los Angeles area.
Overview of Wind Energy for the International Renewable Energy Academy
By
Paul Gipe
Presentation by Paul Gipe for York University's International Renewable Academy on 22 June 2017. Check against delivery.
Wind’s Silent Revolution Grows in Germany with More High Specific Area Turbines
By
Paul Gipe
While thumbing through German renewables magazine, Sonne Wind&Wärme, a table jumped out at me. The table confirmed that the Silent Wind Revolution that French renewables expert Bernard Chabot first noticed several years ago is continuing.
Finally a New Generation of VAWT Busters Has Arrived: Debunking IceWind
By
Paul Gipe
The onslaught of super-dooper new windmill inventions is never ending. Frankly it’s wearing out us old timers. We can’t keep up with the damn things. We try to ignore them but our friends and colleagues keep throwing them in our faces, forcing us to react.
Revenge of PURPA
By
Paul Gipe
The much maligned Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act, PURPA for short, is back in the news. Not that it ever went away. PURPA has been the foundation stone upon which renewable electricity generation has been built in the United States.
