“Kinetic walls” make wind energy a sharply elegant affair
American designer Joe Doucet decided to spice up wind turbine systems with aesthetic pleasure. The economic advantage of its kinetic walls is questionable, but at the same time it has connected a renewable energy source with art in a remarkable way. The movement of the kinetic wall turbines is hypnotic.
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Elegant wind energy. Credit: J. Doucet.
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Renewable energy sources do not seem to be a challenge for energy and economists alone. New York designer Joe Doucet sees no reason why renewable energy production could not help improve home design. He designed “kinetic walls,” remarkable systems of smaller wind turbines that mine the wind while creating hypnotic visual effects.
Each of its kinetic walls includes about 25 turbines, all of which are connected to a 400-watt generator. The whole device reaches a maximum output of 10 kW. As in the case of solar panels, kinetic walls can be connected to the grid and supply “juice” to it, or they can work with a system to store energy in batteries.
Elegant Joe Doucet. Credit: J. Doucet.
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As Doucet says, his panels are almost noiseless. At the same time, they are safe for children. Nothing can be pinched in the rotating mechanism, and the light blades of the kinetic wall rotors can easily stop even a child without anything happening to him. The kinetic wall uses wind from all directions except the vertical. It can work alone or in combination with solar panels, where both systems can complement each other in energy supply.
Kinetic wall. Credit: J. Doucet.
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Doucet would like kinetic walls to be easily accessible to customers. It is already negotiating with potential commercial partners in this regard. They look great and could become a remarkable addition to modern homes. The output of 10 kW is decent. It represents a useful amount of energy. The average American household consumes around 30 kWh a day.
The problem is that vertical axis turbines tend to be much less efficient than conventional wind turbines. Kinetic walls should also appear near houses, and these usually do not build in very windy places. It would seem surprising if kinetic walls produced a practical amount of electricity in a real situation that would pay for their costs faster than solar panels. However, as kinetic works of art, they could be successful in any case.
Video: WIND TURBINE WALL by JOE DOUCET
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