A Dutch company has launched a new type of wind turbine that is small enough to fit onto the roof of a house. The turbine looks like a Nautilus shell, and their website explains how it works:
Most today's wind turbines require that a difference in pressure between the front and the rear side of the rotor blades be maintained in order to be effective. However, this difference in pressure also has a negative effect called "drag".
Our turbine rotor captures the kinetic energy of the wind due to its speed, and, by reversing the wind and reducing it to almost zero Beaufort converts it into mechanical energy. By doing this the wind speed's effect (in kinetic energy) on the rotor is maximized and "lift" is obtained by the wind's acceleration over the rotor plane.
(Score: 2) by evilviper on Tuesday June 03 2014, @04:15AM
1) Their climate is much milder than you'd expect, compared to ANYWHERE in America. The Atlantic ocean does miracles for Europe's climate...
2) The more people you cram into a smaller space, the less active heating you need (and the more active cooling). Cheaper land/housing costs in the US have lead to a proliferation of larger homes. If we just had smaller houses like Europe, it would go a long way towards reducing heating costs.
3) Heat-pumps cost as little as $600 (basic split system), and can QUADRUPLE (COP=3.9) the efficiency of (electric) heating, versus old resistive heating coils. It can be cheaper than natural gas, and split systems make it extremely easy to retrofit old buildings. For cooling, a swamp cooler can be drastically cheaper in any location where humidity isn't high.
4) More insulation helps a lot. Big, unshaded, south-facing windows can add a LOT of heat to your house. etc.
Hydrogen cyanide is a delicious and necessary part of the human diet.