Garage operation produces $1.60/W wind turbine.

[skids]

Kinda funky design:



http://www.dualrotor.com/

They're a small operation AFAICT, I'd let some microturbine pros kick their tires a bit before
advising a purchase, but I thought it was worth mention. $1.60/W isn't unheard of, but it's
good to see another small start-up come in on the lower side of the price curve. We need prices
on backyard turbines to come down -- they should be able to be slashed by any reasonable level of
production.

[electropop]

1. It looks big enough to put out about a watt.

I'd pay $1.60 for it.

:evilgrin:

[skids]

2. Seven foot diameter blades, 1KW+ FWIW n/t

[electropop]

3. Wow, that's very different then.

It looks so spindly - will it hold up in high winds?

[skids]

5. He claims yes.

It "furls" when winds get really high -- the two props rotate until they are lateral to the wind.

Read the linked page for other stuff.

[Sven77]

4. neat idea

some cool concepts on his other site

http://www.speakerfactory.net/wind_old.htm

http://www.selsam.com/

[silverweb]

6. Very, very cool!

Wish I owned my own place. I'd buy one in a heartbeat.

OH, the nifty, green things I'd do if I owned my own little shack!

*sigh*

[Javaman]

7. You know, I always, thought if someone could implant small wind turbines..

in a vehicle, it could power the options on a car.

Just have a small scoop or two mounted in the grill or under the car. Since the car is going at least 20 to 30 miles an hour during regular traffic, it would be interesting to try an use that wind power for the cars needs.

Am I crazy?

[phantom power]

8. It would be at the cost of reduced mileage, from drag.

Maybe a better alternative would be to generate thermoelectricity from engine waste heat.

[Javaman]

9. Now there is an idea.

Duh, I forgot about the drag the turbines would create.

Some of this stuff seems like it would be pretty obvious, hasn't anyone explored these types power from "wasted" energy?

[skids]

10. Yeah, waste heat recovery.

I diaried on some of it here:

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/12/15/193331/41