Quiet Revolution

Selected in the wind power category of the 2008 Guardian/Library House CleanTech 100, Quietrevolution does exactly what it says on the tin


Windswept hillsides or coastal waters are not the only places for a wind-turbine. How about an office roof, at a supermarket or on top of a school? For Julia Groves, commercial director of Quietrevolution, these are perfect locations for an ultra-quiet wind turbine which combines good looks with high energy efficiency.

Groves has been working for Quietrevolution since 2005, the year it was founded. Why did she join the company? "I saw the turbine which has got some sort of bizarre appeal. There's something about the design which is incredibly attractive."

It defies easy description too: a vertical axis wind turbine which uses an elegant helical (twisted) design of three tapered S-shaped blades.

This eye-catching look is a result of demand for wind turbines to work much better in urban areas where wind speeds are lower and wind directions change frequently. Because there are three curved blades, Quietrevolution's design always catches the wind - whatever the direction. "It's the most efficient shape you can get," says Groves.

Local council requirements to include renewable energy in new buildings have brought good business opportunities for Quietrevolution. It has since supplied turbines to retailers such as Sainsbury's in Dartmouth and Greenwich as well as for the roof of King's College School in Wimbledon (it's so quiet, nobody hears it in the classrooms).

A Quietrevolution wind turbine can generate around 10,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per year (enough for several low energy homes) and is 20%-40% more efficient than an ordinary turbine in urban locations.

In brief

· Based in London, UK
· Undisclosed number of employees
· Founded in 2005
· Product is shipping
· www.quietrevolution.co.uk

Explore further

See the whole list, plus features and comment, at
2008 Guardian/Library House CleanTech 100
How the companies were selected
Data supplied by Library House