Turbine design drawn from Gliders

At a recent AuSES meeting in Sydney, we were treated to an insight into a new design for a medium sized vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) with versions rated at 3.5kW and 10kW. These VAWT’s were designed in Australia by a local company called Radotec . The prototype is being vehicle tested to simulate wind conditions in turbulent environments.

The talk was presented by Radotec’s Managing Director, Walter Radovich. Walter spoke about how the turbine design evolved from the engineers’ knowledge of aerodynamics and glider wings.

As this manufacturing company has engineering design and composites skills, the turbines will be made in Sydney, taking concept to reality locally in Australia.

With electricity prices on the rise, I look forward in the future to driving around Sydney’s windier industrial estates and to seeing these elegant energy producers on factory roofs and in the car parks and wherever the wind resources are sufficient to make these units contribute to business sustainability.

Pic courtesy of Radotec