A Spanish start-up company has unveiled an innovative bladeless wind turbine prototype that it says will be cheaper to manufacture and operate than conventional designs.
Vortex Bladeless says it is currently performing field tests with scaled models of its design, which rocks back and forth in the wind. With its motion amplified by resonance it undergoes an an aerodynamic effect known as vorticity which it can convert into electrical energy.
The firm is launching a crowdfunding campaign in June to help it commercialise its design, which it claims could be used in utility-scale projects as well as micro-generation in the domestic and small commercial sector.
Vortex says its design has the advantage of being noiseless and having no moving parts such as gears or bearings. It claims that it would save 53 % in manufacturing costs and 51 % in operating costs compared to conventional wind turbines.
