international workshop on small scale wind energy for developing countries organized by risoe dtu,...
TRANSCRIPT
International Workshop on
SMALL SCALE WIND ENERGY FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
organized by RISOE DTU, Denmark and JKUAT, Kenya
September 14-16, 2009,
Nairobi,
Kenya
VERTICAL AXIS TURBINES:
A MORE APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY
Leopoldo Salmaso
MD, MITD, MPH, University of Padova, Italy
on behalf of:
VERTICAL AXIS TURBINES:
A MORE APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY
U&Us, Italy
Salesians of Don Bosco, East AfricaTANDEM, Tanzania
MED, ItalyPassionist Fathers, East Africa
University of Padova, Italy
University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
KAKUTE, TIRDO and TATC, Tanzania
Regione del Veneto, Italy
The “old American” HAWT *
is golden standard
in Africa, but is NOT
appropriate technology
* Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine
APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY:
- ACCEPTABILITY
- ACCESSIBILITY:• materials• production• installation• maintenance• spare parts• disposal• DESIGN
DESIGN : After 30+ years experience in East Africa, we believe that the Vertical Axis Wind Turbines
(VAWTs) are more appropriate to our setting than HAWTs, for the reasons summarized in the next table:
HAWT VAWT
Rotational Axes 2 1
Need of a helm yes no
Need of stall position yes no
Works with winds < 3 m/sec. poorly fine
Works with winds > 25 m/sec. no yes
Works with turbulent winds poorly fine
Resistance to hurricanes poor high
Relative complexity high low
Relative need of maintenance high low
HAWTs are intrinsically more
efficient than VAWTs, but the
parameter that really matters is
COST- EFFICIENCY.
VAWTs are simpler and cheaper.
As a matter of fact, in the mini-eolic
sector VAWTs are highly competitive
today in the western market.
If we consider this matter from the point of view of a developing Country, we need to calculate the real, present and future costs of TECHNOLOGICAL DEPENDENCE.
We conclude that the simpler design, i.e. slow VAWT, is by far the more appropriate.
STEP 1 (what we have done)
we have designed and constructed prototypes producing 0.2 to 20 KW.
They are patented, and carry the Trade Mark:
STEP 1 (cont.)
With EOLEO (E olic O pen L icenses for
E qual O pportunities) U&Us is EC’s Official Partner in the Sustainable Energy Europe Campaign
STEP 3 (our goal)
Subjects willing to produce and install the EOLEO windmills in Developing Countries will be granted royalty free licence and technical support, provided they adhere to our ethical code, and loyally contribute to the progress of the “open source” EOLEO Community.
STEP 2 (what we are doing)
We are preparing an EAST-AFRICAN MASTER COURSE on APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY WINDMILLS, in collaboration with VETA (the Tanzanian Authority for Vocational Training) and with the Salesians of Don Bosco who have a secular experience in Vocational Training, and run VT schools
in 132 Countries worldwide.
STEP 2 (cont.)
The best performing pupils from the VT Schools in Kenya, Tanzania and other African Countries will be offered a scholarship
to participate in the Master Course.
A Cooperative of past-pupils will be followed and assisted in producing,
marketing, installing, and maintaining the EOLEO windmills.
STEP 2 (cont.)
Micro-Credit schemes will support the past-pupils, and possibly their clients as well.
Special incentives will be granted for the safe disposal of exhausted Lead-Acid batteries, and possibly for clean technologies of energy storage (Lithium-Polymer batteries, hydrogen production, etc.)