Portable solar power has already taken off, but what about when the sun goes down? Could massive wind turbines be scaled down for personal use? Poznan, Poland-based 3D printer manufacturer Omni3d has developed a 3D-printed, foldable wind turbine that can generate up to 300W of clean electricity — enough to power multiple smartphones, laptops, lightbulbs and other small appliances. The AirEnergy 3D can fit in a backpack and could be used for everyone from campers in North America to villagers in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The team is making the design database open source so anyone around the world can easily build it with the goal of providing clean electricity to poor areas off the grid. Their goal is to raise around $30,000 and they are currently halfway to reaching that goal with 28 days to go. For every pledge of just over $4,000, the team will send a fully operational AirEnergy 3D to an African village. A basic kit costs $350.
The wind turbine is lightweight and can easily be moved whenever the wind changes if you power it from a home outlet or battery pack — from the garden to the balcony to the roof.
“Let’s bring clean, mobile and renewable energy to every doorstep around the world,” says Konrad Sierzputowski, co-founder of Omni3D.
Source: http://inhabitat.com/3d-printed-wind-turbine-fits-in-your-backpack/
Comments are closed.
