Buildings with integrated wind turbines could generate between 20% and 100% of their own energy needs, according to a team of aerodynamics engineers at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory’s Energy Research Unit, Oxfordshire, UK.
New Scientist reports the team has developed a design for a multitower office building or block of flats with wind turbines fitted in between. The towers are curved to funnel wind towards the turbines and improve efficiency.
Preliminary testing on a 7m prototype indicates that the design could be twice as efficient as a stand-alone wind power generator, despite the fact that it does not move to face the wind. Wind speeds in urban areas are typically about two thirds of those in rural areas, so the extra efficiency is vital, the team said.
Source: Engineers Australia Net News http://www.engaust.com.au/news.html