So far, power output from wind turbines designed for urban and residential areas has been too low for a reasonable return on investment through energy savings. Wind turbines also produce noise that is too loud to be acceptable for most locations.
A Dutch renewable energy start-up called The Archimedes is working to solve both of those problems in a new class of small-scale wind turbine -- one that is almost silent and is far more efficient at converting wind into energy. The company states that the Liam F1 turbine could generate 1,500 kWh of energy per year at wind speeds of 5m/s, enough to cover half of an average household's energy use.
These turbines could be used in combination with rooftop solar panels to enable a house to run off grid. "When there is wind you use the energy produced by the wind turbine; when the sun is shining you use the solar cells to produce the energy," The Archimedes CEO Richard Ruijtenbeek said.
These turbines have a unique design in that they are shaped like a Nautilus shell. This design allows them to point into the wind to maximize the energy they can capture, they are said to be 80% efficient. The shape also reduces the amount of sound they generate.
