A new spin on wind power
The startup behind this vertical turbine is predicting a change in direction for wind energy.
South Australian start-up VAWT-X Energy has unveiled a groundbreaking prototype - a vertical axis turbine that could revolutionise wind energy in Australia.
Developed in collaboration with Flinders University, the 6KW twin-blade prototype is heading to a field on the Fleurieu Peninsula, south of Adelaide.
There, it will undertake further testing in real-world conditions for at least three months, paving the way for a larger 80KW prototype and ultimately, commercial rollout.
According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), wind energy has the potential to deliver 35 per cent of the world’s renewable energy by 2050, becoming the world’s leading generation source.
The new design is not positioned as a replacement for conventional horizontal axis wind turbines, which due to the scale required, are largely the domain of power utilities.
Instead, the new VAWT aims to help decentralise and expand the wind industry, placing off-grid power directly in the hands of end-users such as farms, light industry, apartment blocks, or health facilities.
"We believe our VAWTs are not only more efficient but also more accessible for applications like off-grid power and sustainable energy solutions for small businesses and farms."
That’s because the vertical design is quieter and more adaptable than conventional turbines. VAWT-X Energy’s new prototype uses a Darrieus-style VAWT design, based on curved aerofoil blades mounted on a rotating shaft.
This allows it to operate in environments with more variable wind directions, according to VAWT-X Energy, making it better suited to urban and residential areas. Other potential applications include clean hydrogen production, the powering of transport corridors, and offshore wind generation.
Long-standing barriers to the adoption of this style of vertical turbine have included aerodynamic challenges, such as drag coefficients from blades rotating into the wind. VAWT-X Energy founder Gary Andrews, who acquired the design in 2018, said the new wind turbine aims to address some of these challenges.
"The design of these new VAWT-X Energy turbines solves some of the traditional barriers for Darrieus designs.
"We believe our VAWTs are not only more efficient but also more accessible for applications like off-grid power and sustainable energy solutions for small businesses and farms."
Partner power
Flinders University's Advanced Wind Energy Technology (AWET) research group has collaborated on the design. According to project leader Dr Amir Zanj, the vertical turbines are shaping up to be just as efficient, if not more so, than their horizontal counterparts.
"They offer advantages like high power density on wind farms, greater stability for offshore use, and adaptability to urban areas with shifting winds – all while being quieter and more economical to operate."
The project is supported by a private equity investor and federal and state funding, including a $300,000 grant from South Australia's Department of State Development.
The new wind turbine from VAWT-X Energy and Flinders University is a Darrieus-style VAWT, which uses curved aerofoil blades mounted on a rotating shaft. This type of design has faced challenges due to drag co-efficiencies created by the blades rotating into the wind. The new VAWT is a two-bladed helical turbine design with a rotor connected to a brake and generator, specifically designed to address some of these long-standing aerodynamic challenges. VAWTs are suited to sites where the wind direction is very variable, and as they are relatively quiet, they are better suited to residential and urban areas than their traditional horizontal counterparts.
