Inventions & Questionable Turbines
This category is a catchall for all those contraptions that burst on the scene in a blaze of media hype as different from those “other” wind turbines only to eventually disappear. It’s not possible to critique every “invention” that plagues the field of wind energy so only those that have piqued my curiosity, or are particularly egregious, are listed here.
Vortec 7 DAWT Summary of Test Results
By
Paul Gipe
This summary reflects my view at the time. Key participants were acknowledging the technical failure of Vortec 7, but they couched their failure in arcane technical language at arcane conferences.
Making sense of Makani’s [Kite] Claims for Paul Gipe
By
Paul Gipe
I am an advocate of the rapid development of massive amounts of renewable energy. I don’t see kites in that anytime soon. . .
Sky Windpower’s high-altitude wind generation system will likely fail to launch
By
Mike Barnard
Sky Windpower’s proposed high-altitude wind generation solution raises major concerns. . .
Google’s Makani airborne wind generator flies a bit lower when you look at it closely
By
Mike Barnard
Makani has a long way to go before operation of an offshore wind farm of these devices is shown to be cheaper per unit of electricity than an equivalent HAWT farm. . . And they still have to get aviation authorities to agree that long, invisible, carbon-fibre, electrified tethers buzzing along at 130-140 kph are acceptable, or the entire solution won’t work at all.
FBI: Canadian Indicted for Securities and Wire Fraud Touting Mag-Wind
By
Paul Gipe
United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced that on October 18, 2013, a federal grand jury in Raleigh, North Carolina returned a two-count indictment charging JAMES ALAN ROWAN with securities fraud and wire fraud.
Makani Kite Turbines Response
By
Paul Gipe
I haven’t paid much attention to Makani, just as I haven’t paid much attention to other kite designs. And yes, there are quite a few “kite wind turbines” besides Makani, either in the press, under development, seeking financing, or already bust.
