Dutch renewable energy start-up The Archimedes has launched a new rooftop wind turbine, which they claim is virtually silent and can generate half of an average household’s energy needs.
The Liam F1 Urban Wind Turbine is shaped like a Nautilus shell and based on the screw pump invented by ancient Greek mathematician Archimedes of Syracuse.
The conical design allows the turbine to rotate freely with minimal mechanical resistance, meaning the noise produced by the blades is significantly less than that of a conventional wind turbine.
In addition, the turbine is able to swing itself automatically on its vertical axis to face the optimal wind direction.
According to The Archimedes, the Liam F1 generates an average of 1,500 kWh of energy per year at wind speeds of 5m/s, an amount that the firm has worked out to resemble half of the power consumed in a common household.
The Liam F1’s inventor, Marinus Mieremet says that the power output produced by his turbine is 80 percent of the theoretical maximum energy that could be harnessed from the wind – about 30 per cent more than a traditional windmill.
Liam F1 turbines in a test installation
Courtesy Tree Hugger
