Wind Power: Are Vertical Axis Turbines Better?

(Page 5 of 5)

February/March 2008
Alison Rogers Interview with Mick Sagrillo 
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Are they less noisy? No. I’ve heard very quiet machines and I’ve heard very noisy machines, in both horizontal and vertical axis technology.

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Are there any situations in which a vertical model would be a better choice than a horizontal?  Not today. Simply because there’s nothing reliable, there’s nothing cost-effective, there are no performance results, there’s no reality. That could change.

The bottom line is, vertical axis turbines are less efficient, and it takes more materials and labor to make the things. It’s pure economics. Things make it in the marketplace because number one, they work, and two, they’re cost effective. If you have a technology that’s more cost effective and more reliable, than the competing technology, the competition is going to fall out of the marketplace. And that’s exactly what’s happened, commercially speaking. We did see, in the early 1980s, a commercial wind turbine, developed by DOE and Alcoa, used in a wind farm out in Altamont Pass. They kept them going for a long time until investor money ran out they couldn’t keep up with the maintenance, let alone get it to output enough energy. So they have all disappeared. There’s a lot of conspiracy-theory allegations out there. “It a suppressed design, etc.” No, these have been around for 80 years and it’s just a shake-out in the marketplace.

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  • Bob Braafhart 10/1/2009 3:26:40 PM

    Thank you Mother Earth News for all your great work. I have read this person's comments before and it is clear there is not love lost by him on VAWT. I believe one great thing they have done is to create interest and to sparked to life the inventor in many of us. Even more so it has fanned to flames interest in something that could create energy from an abundant renewable resource. In that arena, I believe they achieve a 90% efficiency rating.

  • Gene 5/7/2009 6:46:37 AM

    I am working for a custom sheet metal fabrications shop and I have been talking with engineer who doesn't know wind and an experienced HVAC designer that understands wind (airflow) but doesn't get everything with the Betz' Law, the concepts that I have, etc , etc... and I talk to them but they cock their heads to the side and think I am out of my mind. The author definitely has some bias in his words. I hope to field test this coming winter a variant of the savonius type out on the south shore of Long Island and a few on my roof (after I get a thumbs up from the Town supervisor) Stay Tuned!

  • jon 4/1/2009 1:29:44 PM

    why is it that noone ever mentions the wind ship alcion launched over 25 years ago which proved vertical wind technology works it was completely self sufficient once the foreward movement was 2kts it powered all its electronic and drive functions, which it had or should i say has quite a lot. the only problem with it is that the custeau society seems to keep tight wraps on the design.

  • WINTER Star 3/24/2009 10:00:49 PM

    Seems this guy has not seen them all, after all.
    Waht about that double-helix config. unit in Chicago?
    They have measured and statted that, and it seems to be doing very well, turbulent winds and all.
    OR, maybe that one has such cheaply replaced membrane fins, that makes up for being short-lived?

  • Larry 3/24/2009 1:57:08 PM

    This article is awful.

    The writer is full of opinion. Im an engineer too but I don't use it to club young inventors over the head. Millions of guys have passed those tests pal get over it. It's really not true what your mother said about you being the smartest boy in the world.

    After accusing Vertical Turbine makers of failing to provide statistics the writer fails to provide us with any useful statistics of his own..


    terrible engineering article

  • Pedro 2/26/2009 5:37:06 PM

    Great article! I had the chance to check out Mariah Power's Windspire since I live near their Reno HQ (http://mariahpower.com). What a great product: made in the US, pretty much silent operation, starts in low wind speeds, 90+% recycled materials (yes, made from YOUR Coke cans).

    Check em out and support a US company making clean energy products right here in the US!

  • Pedro 2/26/2009 5:35:20 PM

    Great article! I had the chance to check out Mariah Power's Windspire since I live near their Reno HQ (http://mariahpower.com). What a great product: made in the US, pretty much silent operation, starts in low wind speeds, 90+% recycled materials (yes, made from YOUR Coke cans).

    Check em out and support a US company making clean energy products right here in the US!

  • Testing 11/21/2008 12:07:44 AM

    testing testing

  • Testing 11/21/2008 12:05:46 AM

    testing testing

  • laurie 9/29/2008 12:02:17 PM

    One aspect that should be weighed in any design review is the impacts on wildlife and environment. We know that traditional commercial sized turbine designs kill birds and bats. And despite some reports, the numbers can be quite high in some situations. New designs that reduce this environmental cost should be encouraged.

  • Susumu 1/23/2008 9:16:25 AM

    We completed an efficient vertical axis wind turbine after 18
    years' development, see our website www.etllc.org.

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