With an innovative wind system—the AeroCam, a team of entrepreneurs is rewriting the rules of “green” businesses
If you thought windmills are meant to dot only the rural landscape and require huge swathes of land to accommodate turbines, think again. Amidst the entire ruckus emanating from sky-rocketing energy prices, a small team of entrepreneurs huddled in the US is bringing about a silent “green” revolution, with an innovative wind system called AeroCam.
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Reading into the fine print of the rulebook on aerodynamics and turbine physics, Broadstar, a company founded by Stephen Else and Tom Stephens in 2004, has designed AeroCam turbine systems that can
be installed at any location, irregardless of space. So much so, that this wind system can be set up even in urban areas with high population density and in college and corporate campuses. The AeroCam, now patented for commercial use, looks radically different from the usual propeller designs because of its parallel rotor blades. The company claims that it can also be transported, installed and maintained at low costs.
Broadstar’s research and development efforts are now bearing fruits. The promoters are in talks with two Fortune 100 companies to sell their products.
The innovation
While a conventional wind turbine has a vertical axis, the AeroCam has a horizontal axis that supports multiple blades. This design makes it possible to “automatically and interactively adjust the pitch or angle of attack of the aerodynamic blades as the turbine rotates, thereby optimizing its performance for much the same reasons a bird changes the shape of its wing in flight.” The AeroCam’s small size and short height helps it capture and harness wind energy at the surface level.
Broadstar has designed four types of AeroCams, each generating a different amount of power. The AeroCam I can generate 10 KW at 30 miles per hour (mph) wind speed; the AeroCam II, III and IV can generate 100 KW, 250 KW and 500 KW per hour respectively at 30 mph.
On the price front, the company claims to have broken through the $1/watt cost barrier. It delivers a 250 KW system for $250,000.
AeroCam: Features and benefits |
| Features |
Blade pitch angle controlled through 360 degree rotation Self-regulating speed control Long service life Low vibration Low noise pollution while vibrating Extreme survivability |
| Benefits |
20% more power than conventional blade designs Can be deployed where large turbines cannot Slow rotation speed Highly economical |
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