Wind Turbine
By on Aug 12, 2008
By Michael Joseph
There now exists wind turbines for small scale electricity production suitable for an urban Condominium setting. In fact, two Wind turbines are up and running atop St. Gabriel condominium towers built by Baghai Developments Ltd. They can be seen at 660 and 662 Sheppard Ave East . These Wind turbines are called Winddancer and are the brain child of a father and daughter team, Sharolyn Vettese and Dr. Alfred Mathieu. Together they run a wind power company called Wind Simplicity.
These new wind turbines are created in Ontario in order to utilize wind power in the Canadian climate. These wind turbines are capable of performing several functions with only one moving part. As with all new wind power technology, the patents involved make it difficult to answer all the questions about how it functions. But this we can say, its lightweight, compact, powerful and silent. Made from anodized aluminum alloy, it resists corrosion and fatigue.
When you factor in a spin rate of 350 rpm, it is not as stressed as other wind turbines, which contributes to longevity. It is made to operate all day long and every day of the year. The Winddancer Wind turbines can handle gusty conditions and the swirling winds of the downtown core. However, it is still equipped with a remote instant shutdown in case of an
emergency.
Our field testing showed good results, but what would strengthen our resume is test data from our condominium customers. That will be forth coming in the next two months or so when the condominiums are sold out and the unit owners inherit long-term assets. Winddancer was deemed a winner by Several wind power engineers. The Design Exchange presents an annual contest sponsored by the Globe and Mail, open to anyone across Canada with a new product or design. Winddancer won gold in the engineering sector for achieving excellence in wind power.
