A fan of Buckminster Fuller, Professor Bill Becker decided there must be a better way to design wind turbines; one that would allow them to be used in urban environments where the wind is erratic and dangerous. Best known for his design of the geodesic dome, Buckminster Fuller once said, "When I am working on a problem, I never think about beauty but when I have finished, if the solution is not beautiful, I know it is wrong." This thought rattled around in Professor Becker's mind while he worked on his design, and judging by the sculptural look of his turbine, his design is ever so right.
After seeing some examples of turbines using wind sail technology, Bill modeled his turbine sails after a loosely DNA design, the result is a wind turbine which can accommodate erratic winds from virtually any angle. It can be mounted vertically or horizontally, and works with very little vibration or noise in even the most extreme conditions. Traditional turbines actually tear themselves apart when subjected to the crazy winds that occur in urban environments.
Currently being deployed in urban areas, primarily on commercial buildings, he is working on a smaller residential version of the turbines which could allow a homeowner to live largely off the power grid, actually selling back to the city the excess power generated. This sort of design work is so essential if our country is to move into a more ecologically friendly future.
Learn more by visiting Professor Bill Becker's website: Aerotecture.
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