Different style rotor for windpower

[near horse]

I ran across this site today and thought it was interesting – Erik Andrus, what do you think?

http://www.vortexwindfunnel.com/

[gwpoky]

Very interesting, I am curious of the cost vs efficiency compared to the turbine Erik built?
Thanks for sharing.

[goodcompanion]

Efficiency is tough to put a finger on. But if you define it in terms of “payback period,” or the number of years at the going rate of grid-purchased electricity required to recoup the investment, my design clocks in at about 10 years. For electricity. But what values you place on your time would hugely influence this equation, as would any revision of the core assumption that grid power will always cost about the same amount, or that utility net metering arrangements could change for the better or worse, and so on.

My ultimate conclusion is that for students of true local self-reliance, wind power is a tool with great long-term potential, but that electricity is not worth the bother. When it comes right down to it, just about everything we use electricity for in rural communitites we can and have done without. Mechanical power from wind is much more intriguing to me right now. My design does a pretty good job at that too, and we are moving on to an all-steel mark II for irrigation pumping with an archimedes screw.

[PhilG]

Erik,
I would love to see some photos of the water pumper, i am I great need of that, I was thinking the horse treadmill talked about on other threads may work also as a supplement to non windy days ?
Phil

[near horse]

Erik –

I have to reply with my common reponse – my time is about the only thing I truly own that doesn’t wear out or depreciate until I do.

The advantage of electricity is in its storage as power for use at a later time. For example – posting on here.

[Author]

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