Bladeless windmills: A new source of wind energy?

Imagine a windmill. It probably looks like this or this. And most alternatives have blades that turn when the wind blows against them. But in urban environments this model isn’t ideal.

Now there’s a windmill design that looks more like a contemporary sculpture than an electricity-generating device. Delft University of Technology developed a windmill, called EWICON (Electrostatic Windenergy Convertor), that captures wind energy without visibly moving parts. So how exactly does a bladeless windmill generate electricity? Basically, electrically charged water droplets are moved by the wind creating more electricity. The video below explains the concept in more detail.

By Tyler Falk

Full Story: http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/bulletin/bladeless-windmills-a-new-source-of-wind-energy/16598?tag=main