There is a growing concern worldwide with the onset of climate change and global warming, which has causes drastic changes all around the world, and not exactly in a good way. Many have called for a shift particularly in the kind of energy we use and consume, one that is friendlier to the environment, and is renewable as well.
As things stand, we are traditionally dependent on oil and coal, which are basically non-renewable sources of energy, which means they will run out someday. Besides that, they are also relatively expensive and have harmful by products that damage the environment when they are utilized and harnessed to create fuel and energy.
Thus, there arises a real and legitimate need to utilize cleaner, cheaper and renewable sources of energy, and one of those ways is through wind energy.
Wind energy is harnessed by wind turbines, which use the power of the wind to power generators that in turn produce energy and electricity. One kind of wind turbine is called the vertical axis, which has the advantage of having the gearbox at the bottom of the whole set up, which makes for a more stable turbine, since the weight is not on top of the turbine. The downside though, is that pulsating torques can occur, which will diminish the amount of wind energy collected.
Vertical axis wind turbines are also much more cost-efficient, and are cheaper to maintain and can stand up to most winds. The parts are also much easier to transport, making it more mobile and easier to set-up in ideal locations.
An example of these vertical axis turbines is the windmill type vertical axis wind turbine, which is made up of three sails, which can contract and expand based on the strength of the wind, allowing for better and more efficient energy collection. The contraction and / or expansion of these sails is controlled through a magnetic counter.
Regardless of the type, these wind turbines are undoubtedly one of the best ways to harness the power of the wind, which is an invaluable resource and can serve as one of the substitutes for traditional non-renewable energy sources. While the research concerning these wind turbines has still much more room to grow in, it is our hope that we will see much more of these wind turbines so our plant will become a cleaner, greener, and safer world to live in.