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04/22/2011 01:12 PM ET   
News from: Wind-Do Inc.

Wind Turbines: When Will We See the Next Generation?

And how the economy will change with renewable energy.

Cooperative wind farm, participative project, offshore wind turbine, wildlife protection.... We continuously see those terms when you hear about new wind projects; they show the two opposite faces of this renewable energy source:

1) Wind turbines are necessary and within 50-75 years, will become one of our primary sources of energy.

2) Nobody wants to see those giant machines in their backyard.

No one can say that fossil energy will be with us forever. There will be a change to our primary energy mix - it will be up to 75% renewable energy before the end of this century, and more thereafter. It is clear that wind turbines will be a major element of this new energy mix.

Wind is still called "soft energy" and turbines will have to be installed widely to supply the world's huge energy demands. On the other hand, many people don't want to see giant tri-blades near their house. 

What is the latest solution? The U.S. government just approved an offshore wind farm off the coast of Massachusetts. The energy will cost 18.7 cents per KWh, and that price will reach 30 cents in 15 years. This is unbelievable! Wind is free, its should damper energy inflation, not enhance it.

This leads us to our main subject: Is there any possibility for an evolution in wind turbine production?  

What should be the characteristics of a new generation of wind turbines?

 - They should harness large surface areas of wind to produce significant energy.

-  They should be quiet enough to be used in urban areas.

-  They should not be awkward, not showing any perceptive movement.

-  They should not be used on any cultivatible surface, or be a danger for wildlife.

-  They should be competitive with fossil energy. If they can be installed without subsidies, they will stabilize energy prices.

Is this utopian?  Not if we design products that can be adapted to specific needs. 

Wind-Do Inc. has developed a range of products that will achieve these criteria with specific designs adapted for a large diversity of sites.

Its urban wind turbine will not produce any noise and its movement will be enclosed in the apparatus. Its rural wind turbines are designed for high production. They are relatively noiseless, look like trees, and don't even use a square foot of cultivated land. If used in large network, a rural wind turbine farm will produce electricity at 2 to 4 cents per KWh.

Wind-Do has also developed a modular system of wind deflectors that can transform any building into a large wind turbine, making them relatively energy self sufficient.

The official production of Wind-Do wind turbines is expected beginning 2012, but you can see their products here:

How will renewable energy change the economy?

For 100 years, we have built a strong society based on low cost fossil energy. During the next century, our economy will transition to a diversity of  renewable energies.

Currently, the energy economy is centered on very large corporations that own resources and generally control every step of production and distribution. Since fossil resources are not well distributed on the planet, our economy depends on multinational corporations and political frictions, causing unstable, rising energy prices.

The renewable energy economy will be very different. First, the primary sources are free: wind, sun, water, waste. They are everywhere and anyone can use them. Second, renewable sources are diffuse and  intermittent, making it necessary for everyone to be interconnected.

 - Energy will no longer be a monopoly; everyone will have the chance to be a producer, and energy autonomy will become a factor of success, both for individuals and large corporations.

- Electricity distributors will become energy brokers, with thousands of suppliers and customers.

- The variety of sources will make energy prices very competitive. This will keep prices low and stable, but will make inefficient technology disappear.

- Short and mid term energy storage will become an important industry.

Investment in renewable energy installations will need to grow to over twice what it is today for all energy sources. This investment level will be too large to be supported by subsidies.

On the other side, after the investments are made, energy production will be relatively free, which will help us to keep our high standard of living, and will not damper society's progress.

For more information please contact:

Frank Gagnon, Founder
Wind-Do Inc.


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