Design approaches for renewable energy
The changes in technology sometimes feel oldschool and improve itself in a horizontal and not vertical way. Step by step technology is improved by changes on the inside, so people can’t see and feel the positive development.
Thinking of renewable energy, it’s just the same. Technology developed a lot over the last decades, on the inside, but people still see the same windmills, solar plants and hydros.
When we change the design of the products and leave the known paths of rotor blades, squared solar panels and the big wall hydros behind, also people will change their perspective on renewable energy and become more sensitive to this important topic again.
Improvements should not be hidden in an old enclosure.
When rethinking the whole design concept, the technology inside needs to follow. So reworking the big picture inspires scientists, engineers, designers mutually and let real innovation happen.
Examples for such rethinking of engineering in the field of renewable energy can already be seen. This only became possible by changing the design approach radically.
Windmills — Vortex Bladeless
Inspired by collapsing bridges, the Spanish company Vortex developed a windmill without blades, which transforms — like the traditional windmill — kinetic movement into electric power. The design of Vortex Bladeless inspires people to ask what this swinging object might be and changes the way they see wind energy.
Solar plants — Smartflower
The idea behind Smartflower, developed by an Austrian company, is a plug and play solar plant which opens when the sunlight touches the panels in the morning and follows the direction of the sun throughout the day. Add-ons like power packs, for saving unused solar energy for the sunless hours, makes it a great approach to change the common perspective on solar power, that is produced by boring panels.
Hydros — Marine Hydrokinetic Turbine
On the first look this isn’t a real design milestone, but excitement comes with the details. The marine hydrokinetic turbine, is placed in an optimal stream position on the bottom of the sea. By rotating it generates energy that is turned into electric power. So far so good.
Interesting is that the Ocean Current Turbines have an abundance of shaft torque. This excess torque can be used to drive high pressure Reverse Osmosis Desalinization Pumps to provide not only limitless energy, but also limitless fresh water. Yes, this is pretty damn cool.
Thank you for reading,
Philipp
Originally published at www.engarde.net.
Pictures copyright by Vortex Bladeless (Thank you David), Smartflower (Thank you Linnea) and Crowd Energy.
