- Collapsible eolic generator.jpg (64.23 KiB) Viewed 1038 times
Like Gizmodo says, this concept looks like a great idea. A collapsible, portable wind turbine that you can take with you anywhere and gather up electricity from a strong breeze - awesome, right? Well...there are a few design flaws in the Eolic that will have to be addressed before this can move from concept to cool product. According to Ecofriend, this concept from Marcos Madia, Sergio Ohashi and Juan Manuel Pantano is intended to be a compact solution "to be used in the construction at places where there is no electric service. The generator can also be used to replace the electric service in small housing."
- Collapsible eolic generator foldable-wind-prop.jpg (12.12 KiB) Viewed 1038 times
- Collapsible eolic generator foldable-wind-turbine.jpg (16.98 KiB) Viewed 1038 times
It's really unlikely that this would be useful for something like that. It a) wouldn't generate enough power reliably enough to replace grid power for small housing; and b) is made of "ultra light materials like aluminum and carbon fiber" but doesn't have a way to drive the legs into the ground for stability meaning it would blow right over and be essentially useless.
But, all hope is not lost for this idea. The designers have the right product features, but the wrong intentions. We think that with the right types of fasteners for the feet of this turbine, this could be put to several great uses. For example, the light weight and collapsible design make it perfect for backpacking trips in windy areas, easily attaching to a pack for carrying to a camp, and then setting it up atop a boulder or somewhere to generate a charge for camp lights or GPS units. It could also be great for boating, attaching it to the boat for powering navigation equipment, refrigerators or other devices onboard. Or how about use at events like music fests or tailgating parties, pulling it from a car trunk, unfolding it, and strapping it onto the roof?
Plus, those legs look like they have great surfaces for adding solar cells as an extra little boost for energy generation.
http://www.treehugger.com/clean-technol ... esome.html
https://www.slashgear.com/eolic-foldabl ... n-0877070/
