Saturday, October 8, 2011

Hoping to harness the wind and generate power

Today, Saturday, October 8, 2011, Page 3, Hot News
From http://imcmsimages.mediacorp.sg/CMSFileserver/documents/006/PDF/20111008/0810HNP003.pdf
Source Website: http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC111008-0000055/Hoping-to-harness-the-wind-and-generate-power
By Esther Ng, estherng@mediacorp.com.sg, 04:46 AM Oct 08, 2011



PHOTO: Home made wind turbines are one of the ways that you can harness energy and put it into your home.
http://www.renewablenergydevelopmentblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/for-green-signature.jpg
http://www.renewablenergydevelopmentblog.com/


SINGAPORE - Wind measurement stations have been installed atop Housing and Development Board (HDB) blocks since June, as part of a study to measure wind speed and direction across the island.

The findings will allow the Energy Research Institute @ Nanyang Technological University (Eri@n) to modify wind turbines to operate effectively in urban environments. Singapore's wind speed is less than 5m per second - the minimum speed for wind turbines to operate.

The one-year study, conducted by Eri@n and HDB's Building and Research Institute, began in June and wind measuring instruments have been installed at HDB sites in eastern, northern and central Singapore. No wind turbines have been installed so far, the HDB said.



PHOTO: The continuous endeavor to come up with new energy saving technologies that will ensure a cleaner planet and a better future.
http://www.instablogsimages.com/images/2011/05/18/affordable-phes-system-to-store-energy_4gf2R_35638.jpg
http://www.greencleaningideas.com/2011/05/future-perfect-affordable-solutions-to-store-excess-renewable-energy/


Speaking at the launch of NTU's first joint industry programme in offshore renewable energy yesterday, Eri@n executive director Subodh Mhaisalkar said it is also working with the Maritime and Port Authority to map wind speeds in the Southern Islands and coastal areas such as Tuas, as well as wave, currents and tides in these areas, followed by the test-bedding of offshore marine turbines in these waters.

NTU's tie-up yesterday with Rolls Royce, Vestas, DNV and Keppel Offshore & Marine would look into developing more cost-effective offshore wind and marine power generation systems, saving land which could be used for growing food crops as well as for housing and industry. Eri@n's collaboration with the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and the Norwegian Research Centre for Offshore Wind Technology will also leverage on their strengths in offshore renewable research. Eri@n hopes to yield 35 projects in three years.



PHOTO: Airborne wind turbines
Image: Joby Energy
Many companies are looking into this technology. It involves using large kites that act as wind turbines and fly at heights of around 2000 feet whilst being tethered to the ground.
Posted by Gemma on 6/10/10 • Categorized as electricity and magnetism,energy resources,energy transfer,KS3 (11-14),KS4 (14-16),Physics
http://snapshotscience.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/joby_energy_ub_system.jpg
http://snapshotscience.co.uk/the-crazy-world-of-future-electricity-generation/


The research institute is also partnering a multinational corporation (MNC) to do the mapping, and some "preliminary information" will be available by May next year, Professor Subodh said.

He noted data on wind speeds are currently unavailable. "The measurement methods for meteorological wind are different from the measurement methods for wind speed for wind turbines," he said.

Eri@n will work with another MNC to install a 250 to 500 kilowatt wind turbine in the Southern Islands or Semakau landfill. It will also start test-bedding in six months' time a few prototypes of its own urban wind and marine turbines for "low wind and low marine conditions".
By Esther Ng, estherng@mediacorp.com.sg, 04:46 AM Oct 08, 2011


Other parts of the world, efforts in this area is also interesting.



PHOTO: The Tornado Tower is a spectacular modern and unique design that is characterized by a rotating facade, which generates power from high altitude winds.
http://inhabitat.com/files/visiondivision_tornado_1.jpg
http://inhabitat.com/tag/vision-division/



PHOTO: Wind Dam Design for Russian Lake is Spooky, Awesome
This innovative, ghostlike structure is a wind dam, a sail-like structure to harness wind energy, and thought to be the first of its kind in the world. If the project is given the green light, the $5 million dam, which is designed by British architect Laurie Chetwood, will be going up next year on Lake Ladoga, in the northwest of Russia.
http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/4/2007/11/medium_wind_dam_in_situ_ready_sq.jpg
http://gizmodo.com/wind-dam/



PHOTO: Project uses a giant spinnaker sail suspended in a mountain gorge near Northern Russia’s Lake Ladoga. The £2.5 million dam will include a unique cup-shaped spinnaker sail, an original design, which will capture and harness wind to generate renewable energy by funneling wind through an attached turbine.
http://inhabitat.com/files/winddam04.jpg
http://inhabitat.com/power-generating-wind-dam-by-chetwood-associates/wind-dam-chetwood-associates-architects-alternative-power-sail-wind-turbine-architecture-lake-lagoda-russia-3/



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