Earlier this week, Green Wavelength LLC, a bio-inspired clean energy startup, unveiled their 19-foot, prototype, small wind turbine to crowds at The Perfect Pitch 2009 entrepreneur conference. Called XBee, the turbine – unlike any that you’ve probably ever seen – was designed with inspiration from the movement of bumblebees, hummingbirds, and dragonflies.
Unfortunately, the controller for the XBee overheated and stopped working properly. As a result, Green Wavelength will go back to the drawing board for additional development and testing.
Nevertheless, the company might be on to something in terms of finding a new wind turbine design with greater efficiencies. We’ll have to wait and see. If they can pull it off, Green Wavelength intends to produce 1-10 kW small wind turbines for home and small business uses. And that would be quite incredible, really.
[+] Green Wavelength LLC.
Photo credits: Green Wavelength.
Great idea. I hope they work out the “bugs”! LOL
Biomimicry is a great way to go to design things. There was a gentleman that I was reading about the other day that are making existing wind turbines more efficient by changing the edge of the wingblade to look more like that of a whales fin.
-Tyler
Biomimicry. Well, that’s actually a great start. After all, the greatest machines of all were the ones created by mother nature herself. Might as well emulate her. 😀
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