Comments on: Wind power for urban buildings http://jstahl.org/archives/2003/01/27/wind-power-for-urban-buildings/ Politics, the environment, technology, activism. And stuff. Tue, 24 Jan 2012 23:00:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Björn Höjing http://jstahl.org/archives/2003/01/27/wind-power-for-urban-buildings/comment-page-1/#comment-403286 Björn Höjing Mon, 21 Mar 2011 22:20:54 +0000 http://blogs.onenw.org/jon/index.php/archives/2003/01/27/wind-power-for-urban-buildings/#comment-403286 <p>NCC one of the biggest and most reknown construction companies in Sweden has purschased and installed a bunch of mag-winds on their office buildings in the summer 2010. I've emailed them and asked for some data on how they've peformed. (Installed on rooftops.)</p> <ul> <li>they were just shown on the science channel along with an installation video of a prototype model. That video is on youtube as well. </li> </ul> <p>This website claims that they'll be selling them at some point: http://www.everwindpower.com/</p> <p>I'm quite qurious about how things worked out for the construction company. (It has already won a bunch of enviormental prizes here in Sweden so I know they take the stuff quite serious.)</p> <p>When/if I get a response I'll post here again.</p> NCC one of the biggest and most reknown construction companies in Sweden has purschased and installed a bunch of mag-winds on their office buildings in the summer 2010. I’ve emailed them and asked for some data on how they’ve peformed. (Installed on rooftops.)

  • they were just shown on the science channel along with an installation video of a prototype model. That video is on youtube as well.

This website claims that they’ll be selling them at some point:
http://www.everwindpower.com/

I’m quite qurious about how things worked out for the construction company. (It has already won a bunch of enviormental prizes here in Sweden so I know they take the stuff quite serious.)

When/if I get a response I’ll post here again.

]]> By: Will T http://jstahl.org/archives/2003/01/27/wind-power-for-urban-buildings/comment-page-1/#comment-393854 Will T Fri, 24 Apr 2009 10:25:15 +0000 http://blogs.onenw.org/jon/index.php/archives/2003/01/27/wind-power-for-urban-buildings/#comment-393854 <p>What a rippoff. The problem with all these systems is not the efficiency, its the price. Why do all these systems cost stupid money. $8000? what is it, a mercedes? The reason they dont payback on their investment is not efficincy, its price. To add futher comments on the above forum, yes you can concentrate wind on to a turbine. Several building designs have done this. at low windpseeds a good funnel design can more than double windspeed, which results in a X8 increase in power. Obviously the collection area has to be at least 8 times bigger than the concentrated area otherwise your creating energy (impossible). Yes more air flows round the outside, but look in a stream with 2 rocks sitting side by side. watch the water flowing through the middle and round the outside. If you had to put a small turbine in there, where would you put it? right behind the middle of the 2 rocks where the flow rate suddenly increases. Maglev are on to a good idea, wasted by stupid prices and exaggerations.</p> What a rippoff. The problem with all these systems is not the efficiency, its the price. Why do all these systems cost stupid money. $8000? what is it, a mercedes? The reason they dont payback on their investment is not efficincy, its price.
To add futher comments on the above forum, yes you can concentrate wind on to a turbine. Several building designs have done this. at low windpseeds a good funnel design can more than double windspeed, which results in a X8 increase in power. Obviously the collection area has to be at least 8 times bigger than the concentrated area otherwise your creating energy (impossible). Yes more air flows round the outside, but look in a stream with 2 rocks sitting side by side. watch the water flowing through the middle and round the outside. If you had to put a small turbine in there, where would you put it? right behind the middle of the 2 rocks where the flow rate suddenly increases. Maglev are on to a good idea, wasted by stupid prices and exaggerations.

]]> By: robert T http://jstahl.org/archives/2003/01/27/wind-power-for-urban-buildings/comment-page-1/#comment-392913 robert T Tue, 17 Jun 2008 22:19:11 +0000 http://blogs.onenw.org/jon/index.php/archives/2003/01/27/wind-power-for-urban-buildings/#comment-392913 <p>hey Im looking for a decent priced wind turbin that can hook to the grid.. Been looking around and do some reading, it all gets confusing and now i see ppl are stealing from customers.... ill keep looking.. I want to go Green and was inspired by a TV show no less, but 15 grand is alot of money to shell out and now i have to watch who i give it to to boot.. what has this country come to ?</p> hey Im looking for a decent priced wind turbin that can hook to the grid.. Been looking around and do some reading, it all gets confusing and now i see ppl are stealing from customers….
ill keep looking.. I want to go Green and was inspired by a TV show no less, but 15 grand is alot of money to shell out and now i have to watch who i give it to to boot.. what has this country come to ?

]]> By: Livio Filice http://jstahl.org/archives/2003/01/27/wind-power-for-urban-buildings/comment-page-1/#comment-392269 Livio Filice Fri, 15 Feb 2008 19:22:26 +0000 http://blogs.onenw.org/jon/index.php/archives/2003/01/27/wind-power-for-urban-buildings/#comment-392269 <p>I just think that everyone should purchase a V3.5 from Cleanfield Energy.</p> <p>Real company, real product, real people.</p> I just think that everyone should purchase a V3.5 from Cleanfield Energy.

Real company, real product, real people.

]]> By: Dwight http://jstahl.org/archives/2003/01/27/wind-power-for-urban-buildings/comment-page-1/#comment-391577 Dwight Mon, 03 Dec 2007 22:16:48 +0000 http://blogs.onenw.org/jon/index.php/archives/2003/01/27/wind-power-for-urban-buildings/#comment-391577 <p>Wind / Solar / Hydrogen are all excelent sources of energy that eventually will solve the worlds energy crisis. buuuuuuuuuuut! These sources have one major problem all in common, that they could provide the consumer with FREE energy. How can big corporations make a profit, they can not sell you wind sunshine or water. In 1974 after the oil embargo, several inventors claimed to have built fuel systems that would deliver 30 to 50 mpg, did you ever see production? But 30 years later most cars sold get atleast 30 mpg. If it sounds to good, just wait long enough for the big corporations to figure out how they can controll and profit from the technology</p> Wind / Solar / Hydrogen are all excelent sources of energy that
eventually will solve the worlds energy crisis. buuuuuuuuuuut!
These sources have one major problem all in common, that they
could provide the consumer with FREE energy. How can big corporations make a profit, they can not sell you wind sunshine or water. In 1974 after the oil embargo, several inventors claimed
to have built fuel systems that would deliver 30 to 50 mpg, did you ever see production? But 30 years later most cars sold get atleast
30 mpg. If it sounds to good, just wait long enough for the big corporations to figure out how they can controll and profit from
the technology

]]> By: Rich http://jstahl.org/archives/2003/01/27/wind-power-for-urban-buildings/comment-page-1/#comment-345466 Rich Thu, 02 Aug 2007 23:55:38 +0000 http://blogs.onenw.org/jon/index.php/archives/2003/01/27/wind-power-for-urban-buildings/#comment-345466 <p>I'm no scientist but I was trying to figure out how the manufacturer could have arrived at their numbers. Looking at the formula Steve Wilke posted and the unit itself I noticed that the blades are curved and there are 8 of them. If the unit is 48" high and stretched out the blades are 34" wide, that would give each blade ~5.66 sq. ft. Multiply that by 8 blades and you get ~45.33 sq. ft of blade surface area. What I find interesting is that if you divide that by the 16 sq. ft. Steve used in his calculations (45.33 / 16 = 2.83) you get roughly 280%.</p> <p>The other thing I was wondering about was the roof effect. Could a correctly oriented roof possibly act like a funnel to increase the amount of wind passing over the turbine? We all know what it's like when we reach the corner of an apartment block. The wind humming around that corner always seem to be a lot stronger than when you are past it and heading up wind towards the street. Perhaps with that perfect set-up (prolly only achievable in a test environment) a 9mph wind 30 feet off the roof becomes a 25mph wind ripping over the crest of your roof. It would explain why lots of roofs and/or shingles get ripped off houses in severe storms.</p> <p>Again, I'm no scientist and, no, I don't work for anyone selling these things. I just wonder how someone can make the claims they do. If the claims turn out true I want one, although it doesn’t seem likely at this point. Oh well.</p> I’m no scientist but I was trying to figure out how the manufacturer could have arrived at their numbers. Looking at the formula Steve Wilke posted and the unit itself I noticed that the blades are curved and there are 8 of them. If the unit is 48″ high and stretched out the blades are 34″ wide, that would give each blade ~5.66 sq. ft. Multiply that by 8 blades and you get ~45.33 sq. ft of blade surface area. What I find interesting is that if you divide that by the 16 sq. ft. Steve used in his calculations (45.33 / 16 = 2.83) you get roughly 280%.

The other thing I was wondering about was the roof effect. Could a correctly oriented roof possibly act like a funnel to increase the amount of wind passing over the turbine? We all know what it’s like when we reach the corner of an apartment block. The wind humming around that corner always seem to be a lot stronger than when you are past it and heading up wind towards the street. Perhaps with that perfect set-up (prolly only achievable in a test environment) a 9mph wind 30 feet off the roof becomes a 25mph wind ripping over the crest of your roof. It would explain why lots of roofs and/or shingles get ripped off houses in severe storms.

Again, I’m no scientist and, no, I don’t work for anyone selling these things. I just wonder how someone can make the claims they do. If the claims turn out true I want one, although it doesn’t seem likely at this point. Oh well.

]]> By: Keith http://jstahl.org/archives/2003/01/27/wind-power-for-urban-buildings/comment-page-1/#comment-293295 Keith Tue, 22 May 2007 12:59:30 +0000 http://blogs.onenw.org/jon/index.php/archives/2003/01/27/wind-power-for-urban-buildings/#comment-293295 <p>Mag-wind is a lot of hot air, i live in Texas they were to put one on a roof top close to where i live even asked about buying one (Grid-tie) the guy in charge would not call me back and as far as i know they never did install one .....they seem to be a big joke......no wonder you never saw any test data........</p> Mag-wind is a lot of hot air, i live in Texas they were to put one on a roof top close to where i live even asked about buying one (Grid-tie) the guy in charge would not call me back and as far as i know they never did install one …..they seem to be a big joke……no wonder you never saw any test data……..

]]> By: Sebastian http://jstahl.org/archives/2003/01/27/wind-power-for-urban-buildings/comment-page-1/#comment-289305 Sebastian Tue, 15 May 2007 10:44:03 +0000 http://blogs.onenw.org/jon/index.php/archives/2003/01/27/wind-power-for-urban-buildings/#comment-289305 <p>Well, the roof can be something like a diffusor for a Vortex Wind Generator turbine. The rotor of mag wind sure looks like the rotor of VGT,but frankly speaking is notthing more then a Savonius type VAWT(drag type).If you could add a diffusor on top of it and make air flow like a vortex aroung the rotor one could extract more energy form wind. Look at the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6jyUdGPIJE</p> Well, the roof can be something like a diffusor for a Vortex Wind Generator turbine. The rotor of mag wind sure looks like the rotor of VGT,but frankly speaking is notthing more then a Savonius type VAWT(drag type).If you could add a diffusor on top of it and make air flow like a vortex aroung the rotor one could extract more energy form wind.
Look at the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6jyUdGPIJE

]]> By: Jim Heimbach http://jstahl.org/archives/2003/01/27/wind-power-for-urban-buildings/comment-page-1/#comment-284068 Jim Heimbach Tue, 08 May 2007 15:35:47 +0000 http://blogs.onenw.org/jon/index.php/archives/2003/01/27/wind-power-for-urban-buildings/#comment-284068 <p>I have been following this company for over two years. They have not come through on one of the many promises they have made. The efficiency claims they formerly made on their web site (now taken down, interestingly enough) show an effiency rating where it will deliver 280% of the energy available in the wind flowing through the swept area of the turbine. You be the judge. There is no physical way this company can deliver what they promise. It is as simple as that. I would simply ignore this company and anything it claims. Incidentally Thomas Priest-Brown, who posted a comment earlier is one of the inventors of the Mag-Wind turbine. You might want to ask him about the non-existent idenpendent performance testing they promised about two years ago. I wonder why they don't publish those statistics? Why are they not in production now, when they promised they would be in production October of 2006? Why didn't Mr. Priest-Brown identify himself in his comment? Why didn't Mag-Wind follow through on Ross Perot's Jr's, President of Hillwood Development, promise to make available the top of his office building in Dallas for a Mag-Wind 1100 prototype? Why didn't Mag-Wind contact Hillwood Development at all over a period of more than six months after having received this generous offer. I know these things, because I have spoken personally, and at length, with Bill Burton, Senior VP of Hillwood. He said their behavior was at the very least completely unprofessional. He has now terminated any relationship with Mag-Wind. As I said, I do not think this company is worth a minute of your time.</p> I have been following this company for over two years. They have not come through on one of the many promises they have made. The efficiency claims they formerly made on their web site (now taken down, interestingly enough) show an effiency rating where it will deliver 280% of the energy available in the wind flowing through the swept area of the turbine. You be the judge. There is no physical way this company can deliver what they promise. It is as simple as that. I would simply ignore this company and anything it claims.
Incidentally Thomas Priest-Brown, who posted a comment earlier is one of the inventors of the Mag-Wind turbine. You might want to ask him about the non-existent idenpendent performance testing they promised about two years ago. I wonder why they don’t publish those statistics? Why are they not in production now, when they promised they would be in production October of 2006? Why didn’t Mr. Priest-Brown identify himself in his comment? Why didn’t Mag-Wind follow through on Ross Perot’s Jr’s, President of Hillwood Development, promise to make available the top of his office building in Dallas for a Mag-Wind 1100 prototype? Why didn’t Mag-Wind contact Hillwood Development at all over a period of more than six months after having received this generous offer. I know these things, because I have spoken personally, and at length, with Bill Burton, Senior VP of Hillwood. He said their behavior was at the very least completely unprofessional. He has now terminated any relationship with Mag-Wind.
As I said, I do not think this company is worth a minute of your time.

]]> By: Why Not Put a Wind Turbine on Your Roof? - Unsought Input http://jstahl.org/archives/2003/01/27/wind-power-for-urban-buildings/comment-page-1/#comment-254256 Why Not Put a Wind Turbine on Your Roof? - Unsought Input Tue, 10 Apr 2007 02:45:45 +0000 http://blogs.onenw.org/jon/index.php/archives/2003/01/27/wind-power-for-urban-buildings/#comment-254256 <p>[...] Unfortunately, it might not be on the up-and-up.  Paul Gipe at Wind-Works.org ran some numbers and he doesn’t think the power output they are claiming is possible.  There’s also some talk of a fake Mag-Wind dealer (not actually authorized by the company) taking a whole bunch of people’s money in North Dakota.  More interesting discussion can be found at Treehugger. [...]</p> [...] Unfortunately, it might not be on the up-and-up.  Paul Gipe at Wind-Works.org ran some numbers and he doesn’t think the power output they are claiming is possible.  There’s also some talk of a fake Mag-Wind dealer (not actually authorized by the company) taking a whole bunch of people’s money in North Dakota.  More interesting discussion can be found at Treehugger. [...]

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