This is a quick post to let you know that the Bahrain World Trade Center has turned on all three of its huge wind turbines simultaneously. For a glimpse of the turbines in action, check out the video over the fold:
The three massive turbines, measuring 29 meters in diameter, are supported by bridges spanning between the complex’s two towers. Through its positioning and the unique aerodynamic design of the towers, the prevailing on-shore Gulf breeze is funneled into the path of the turbines, helping to create power generation efficiency.
The wind turbines will deliver approximately 11-15% of the energy needs of the building, or 1100 to 1300 megawatt-hours per year — enough to provide light in 300 homes for over a year.
6 responses so far ↓
1 rocknerd // Apr 11, 2008 at 7:53 am
So what kind of overspeed protection do they use? The nacelle seems to be fixed (from what I can see in the video) so they can’t turn the blades out of the wind. If they go out of controll, there will be blade fragments flying through windows with deadly effect. This seems a bit risky just to offset 10-15% of their energy needs. Solar is a much better choice for this application IMO.
2 Nate // Apr 11, 2008 at 12:13 pm
maybe they can rotate the blades?
3 Nate // Apr 11, 2008 at 12:14 pm
or maybe they simply have brakes?
4 rocknerd // Apr 11, 2008 at 3:00 pm
Both systems can fail. Unless you can reduce the area subjected to the wind, you must still contend with the forces the wind imparts on the blades.
Such controls are fine on a ridgetop somewhere but I think they would be insufficient when people are literally meters from the whirling blades.
5 coal_burner // Apr 14, 2008 at 7:30 am
how do they overcome the low frequency thump that occurs every time a blade tip passes an occupied floor? those sounds carry alot of energy and can really rattle walls and windows.
6 Sue // Apr 17, 2008 at 1:20 pm
If the middle east is using these for energy - when they have all the oil in the world — they are certainly making MORE of a mockery out of the rest of the world, especially the USA.
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