Elegant new renewables solution

4ecotips.com has just received information about a new, elegant wind turbine that operates on a vertical axis. Called the quietrevolution QR5 it is said to be an innovative new concept designed to work well in the urban environment, where wind directions are frequently changing and quiet, vibration-free operation is paramount.

The QR5 was designed by XCO2 who are experts in low carbon energy in the built environment. The revolutionary new design is the result of a combination of sound engineering principles and state-of-the-art aerospace technology.

And as the designers point out - "form follows function to create an elegant and visually engaging product that's easy to integrate with existing buildings.

But at £25,000 it's obviously not for the average two-up two-down but lends itself more to new flatted housing developments or office complexes.

The QR5 is claimed to save 4200kg of CO2 emissions each year. It's rated at 6kW with an expected output of 9600 kWh per year at an average wind speed of 5.8m/s and is estimated to provide 10% of the energy for, say, a 600m2 office building.

Its inherent characteristics are instantly noticeable as different from horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWTs), which means that it does not have to change direction to track the wind. What's more, its sophisticated control system takes advantage of gusty winds: an innovative predictive controller learns about the site's wind conditions over time to further improve the amount of energy generated.

The blade tip speed is much lower than s similarly rated HAWT so less noise is produced. Also the helical design results in a very smooth operation that minimizes vibration and further reduces acoustic noise.

Also the QR5 boasts a light, durable carbon fibre structure conceived using a cutting edge computer design and modeling, and it's easy to integrate into existing structures due to its compact shape. 
 
More information: www.quietrevolution.co.uk