Renewable energy systems can be elegant. New York designer Joe Doucet has recently created a wind power generating wall that possesses a visually hypnotic effect.
The Norwegian wind power startup Wind Catching Systems also developed a similar technology in 2021, but at a much larger size. The wind power wall of Wind Catching Systems is formed with 100 grids laid with blades of different sizes, and generates 5 times the power to that of the current largest wind turbines, where the adopted floating technology facilitates installations at deep sea areas.
The wind power generating wall developed by Doucet is smaller in scale, which makes it more applicable for residential and commercial purposes, and each wall is installed with approximately 25 vertical turbines, with each turbine measuring at roughly 400W in capacity that equals 10kW in output for each wall. According to Doucet, the system generates almost no sound, and a gentle touch will suspend blade rotation since the turbines have no pinch point during operation, which alleviates safety concerns.
This particular system can operate independently by connecting to the grid, or function like a rooftop solar system by connecting to a battery energy storage system. Doucet is currently seeking potential partners in order to realize the system as soon as possible.
However, all power generation systems must undergo realistic tests. Will this wall generate sufficient power or merely serve as a nice looking décor? The daily power generation of 240kWh is actually sufficient for US households at an average daily power consumption of roughly 30kWh, and the wind power wall can be used 24/7 as opposed to solar systems.
This design has shattered the public’s impression on renewable energy such as wind power generation. The wind turbine wall of Doucet is coated with white paint and a minimalistic design, and the sufficient power generation coupled with reasonable pricing will help to promote renewable energy. However, US onshore wind turbines have an average capacity coefficient of approximately 35%, thus the wind turbine wall will have a lower power generation in reality. Vertical wind turbines would generate roughly 85kWh of power if they perform like the usual three-blade wind turbines, though vertical wind turbines usually trail behind in performance since they can only capture wind from one side, and the particular system is installed within homes instead of coastal areas, mountains, or plains, which is why its power generation performance remains to be seen.
(Cover photo source: Joe Doucet x Partners)