In recent years, wind energy companies have been developing larger and larger wind turbines. However, alternative concepts have also been explored, including offshore wind farms made up of small turbines and vertical axis wind turbines. Now, Airloom Energy, a start-up funded by Bill Gates, has developed a wind turbine that can produce electricity at an extremely low cost. The innovative wind turbine consists of twelve ten-meter-high blades that move in a circle along a rail, and can be configured to different sizes depending on the electricity demand. The company claims that the new wind turbine can produce similar amounts of electricity as conventional wind turbines, but at only a third of the cost.
One of the reasons for the low cost is the simple transportation and installation of the wind turbine. A 2.5 megawatt turbine can be transported with just a conventional tractor trailer. Additionally, the wind turbine can be positioned both vertically and horizontally, and can be used both onshore and offshore. Airloom Energy has only produced a small prototype with a capacity of 50 kilowatts so far, but a 2.5 megawatt turbine is set to be built in the coming months, funded by the Breakthrough Energy Ventures Initiative.
The new wind turbine design has the potential to revolutionize the wind energy industry, offering a more cost-effective and versatile alternative to conventional wind turbines. With the backing of Bill Gates, Airloom Energy is poised to make a significant impact in the renewable energy sector.
