Introducing Wind Harvesters
Our compact mid-sized Wind Harvesters are H-type vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs). They should be the first of their size and kind to achieve international certification and full commercialization.
Wind Harvesters are sold in 100-150 kilowatt pairs that are placed close together in long arrays and rows that produce large amounts of energy with minimum impact.
The first market will be distributed energy projects where tall turbines aren’t permitted. Our turbines’ largest market will be new and existing wind farms.
Our sturdy, long-lasting machines are a key missing technology urgently needed to meet critical local and national renewable energy goals.
Our wind turbines will be first to market to take advantage of the middle layers of wind (from 15 – 100 feet above the ground).
Wind Harvesters should be fully certified and ready for sales in the second half of 2023.
Wind Harvester Model 4.0
50-75 kW rated electrical power
25 mph rated wind speed
11 mph cut-in/56 mph cut-out wind speeds
122 – 310 MWh of Annual Energy Production
Rotor Height: 13 meters
Rotor Diameter: 13 meters
Swept area: 169 m2
3 Blades/ 6 arms
Base tower height: 8–20 meters
Competitive returns on investment.
Durable, with a 75 year predicted fatigue life.
Commercial Product
We’ve learned a great deal through the process of designing and prototyping full-scale H-type turbines. Model 4.0 is the culmination of our efforts and the product we will bring through the certification process and into the market.
Its highlights include:
Pilot Project
A significant amount of research and development, prototyping, and modeling have gone into our Wind Harvester™ turbine technology. We have now reached Technology Readiness Level 7, the Pilot Project step, with our Model 3.1 completing testing at the UL Advanced Wind Turbine Testing Facility in Texas.
Compact Size
With blade tips reaching 55-100 ft above the ground, Wind Harvesters are approximately 20% the height of traditional commercial-scale turbines. Tightly spaced “arrays” of our H-type turbines easily fit under and around tall turbines and in places where the larger machines can’t go.
Rugged and Durable Technology
Traditional, propeller-type turbines have blades that attach to horizontal drive shafts at a single point. Wind Harvesters have vertically aligned drive shafts with two supporting connections per blade. This configuration allows Wind Harvesters to overcome the shaking problem traditional turbines have in turbulent wind conditions.
Our 99% galvanized steel and aircraft aluminum turbines can endure harsh conditions for 40+ years with regular maintenance and replacement of critical parts.
Capturing Energy Between Two Ridges
Wind Harvesters can capture the turbulent wind that flows nearer to the ground between ridges. Traditional turbines capture the laminar flow that runs higher above ground.
Synergy through the Coupled Vortex Effect
When arranged a few feet apart from one another, a pair of H-type wind turbines creates a synergistic effect that increases wind speeds through their own and their neighbors’ rotors to enhance aerodynamic efficiency. The increase in efficiency creates a 10-20% increase in energy output. This physical phenomenon, discovered, proved, and patented by Wind Harvest co-founder, Bob Thomas, is called the Coupled Vortex Effect.
The energy produced by Wind Harvesters in different average annual wind speeds is shown in the table below as well as in the power performance curve which compares the power performance of Wind Harvester Models 3.1, 4.0 alone and and 4.0 with the coupled vortex effect.
Wind Speed (mph) | MWh/year per turbine pair | MWh/year per MW |
---|---|---|
11 | 134 | 957 |
13 | 302 | 2,157 |
16 | 422 | 3,014 |
18 | 532 | 3,800 |
20 | 628 | 4,486 |
22 | 708 | 5,057 |
Power Performance Curve
Advanced Computer Modeling
With over 40 years of wind turbine experience, Led by renowned scientist and engineer Dr. David Malcolm’, our engineering team used the information gathered from past Wind Harvester prototypes to confirm the accuracy of a suite of computer model data. This validation was a technological breakthrough for Wind Harvest, H-type VAWTs, and renewable energy.
Patents
Wind Harvest has numerous patents it will be filing before the public sees the Model 4.0 turbines. These patents are designed to make future competitors want to license our intellectual property to more cost effectively make their own mid-level wind turbines and make sales into the massive mid-level wind markets that Wind Harvest will open.