New innovations and ideas are constantly emerging in the field of clean energy generation. It is mainly private companies that are investing resources in developing alternative methods for obtaining clean energies, with the goal of leaving fossil fuel use behind once and for all. This is the case of Nicolas Orellana, founder of the company O-Innovations, which is working on the development of wind energy as an alternative source of renewable energy.
One of the noteworthy aspects is that Orellana’s team has taken into account the Venturi effect, that is, the acceleration of air through narrow passages ensuring that a lower pressure is created, generating higher speed. The creators kept in mind the idea that the wind is never predictable, so replicating a turbine with blades didn’t make sense. That’s why they designed an axial, omnidirectional turbine capable of generating 3 megawatt-hours (MWh) of clean wind energy per year.
Additionally, its design also offers advantages for thriving in more chaotic environments than traditional turbines, making it a more aesthetic option in the field of urban energy. The O-Wind can receive the classification of small wind turbine (SWT), which may not be the complete solution for energy generation, but is considered a very attractive option for domestic supply, allowing for less dependence on energy supplied by the grid.
O-Wind Turbine, O-Innovations
The emergence of new methods and designs to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of clean energy is, fortunately, becoming increasingly common. This is the case of the company O-Innovations, based in the United Kingdom and founded by Nicolas Orellana. It is a company dedicated to the development of technology aimed at the use of clean energies in urban environments.
Its mission is to make clean energies more accessible to cities and homes, facilitating the opportunity to be less dependent on the electrical grid. This is how their latest design, the O-Wind Turbine, has emerged. This design is entirely different from traditional wind turbines, as it consists of a wind sphere, an omnidirectional turbine, which makes it easier to capture the wind from any direction. This bladeless model is capable of generating 3 megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity per year, and it does not have such a grotesque visual impact.
Venturi effect
The Venturi effect is a phenomenon that physics explains as the increase in speed when passing through a narrower section of a duct, while pressure decreases. This is a very important aspect to consider given the spherical design of the O-Wind turbine, which has angled ventilation holes that are not placed randomly, but have been designed to channel the air in such a way that a spin around the axis is produced. Thus, it ensures that the axis remains constant, no matter where the wind comes from.
Potential of new designs vs. traditional ones
O-Wind has been classified as a small wind turbine (SWT), and although the amount it generates is not enough to be considered a complete energy solution, it does present advantages over traditional wind turbines. One of these is the offering of infinite energy due to its ability to capture wind from all directions. On the other hand, city residents are often reluctant to the implementation of large infrastructures for traditional turbines. It’s not just about size, but also the noise they produce, in which O-Wind is an attractive competitor. It is one of the most convincing alternatives, and it facilitates the situation where residents’ energy supply does not rely solely on the general grid.
