losers are clean energy industries as the tax credits get blown away. think wind, solar, renewable biomass, geothermal, hydropower, and eliminate a $7,500 per electric vehicle tax credit. winners are extending credits in nuclear and continued intangible drilling cost deductions that allows producers to recover investment costs quickly in oil and gas sector. [rk] washington examiner
Architect Dietmar Koering of Arphenotype has designed these electricity pylons for a competition to envisage a new power transmission network in Iceland.
Each pylon to be between 17 and 32 meters tall, with the shape of each varying according to its
longitude and latitude.
Project Overview:
Adaptability is an distinction of evolution, but today’s instant variations in [virtual] extended phenotypes call for something stronger: adaptability of nature! In nature material is used with optimum efficiency. Cells continually adapt to precisely fulfill their function.
Through researching organic forms and their production methods the intelligence of the material itself should support the design language, the lightness and stiffness. Fibrous systems and computation is the answer for this new task. Fibrous system in biology: inspiration! Like in the evolution through phenotypes, the production is based on a clear code; where the evolution part and the random variation is bounded to the specific landscape and site.
Architectural form and its relationship to nature, environment and society has rich antecedents to the human body. The idea is that the power net is building one main spine of nowadays society which enables living on a high standard in an age of communication; therefore the spines of the power net reflects an organic language.
The organic structure is covered with a high reflective “lotus-effect” color. It will be cleaned through natural weather conditions and will reflect the nature itself, which strengthens the idea of a graphical integration to the landscape. The final tower will blend into its environment physical and virtual. It creates a feedback loop in the observed system.
Each transmission tower is shaped in height between 17m and 32m by computer-driven equipment according to its site / longitude and latitude. This approach permits the structures to be modeled and easily fabricated translating into a reasonable cost.
Construction::
For maximum strength and stability the construction method is based on the idea of a Tripod. Once the parameters are set, it is just the location of tower by latitude and longitude, which will result in unique towers.
Material:
The main material used for the towers is an aramid-fibre-matrix bounded with eco resin through thermosetting, which gives the material stability to degration, UV, weathering and wind. The main structure will be built through filament winding and resin transfer molding. This material allows also in computer aided manufacturing an organic design language without much more costs. The thickness of the material will change through the whole system, calculated by software to adapt the stiffness to site + location and natural forces like wind.
The towers will be prefabricated and mounted on site on concrete foundation, which will support the idea of natural material on site.
Today’s pursuit to build lightweight for economic, material engineering and environmental reasons is the logical response to today’s changing society where flexibility is the prime survival quality.
Future:
Once the system is set up it will be a leading manufacturing site for fibrous systems. The high tech environment makes it hard to copy the design language and production method, which leads to a unique company.
The competition’s organizers Landsnet the Association of Icelandic Architects.
Kite flying is seasonal in Chicago. The season begins in April. Here’s 20 designer kites.
above: martin’s leg’s SIZE: W 30 x H 79 inches Ripstop Nylon Wind Range: 6 – 20 mph LINE: 50 pound line included. Price: $47.95
above: pencil SIZE: W 8 x H 60 inches FRAME: fiberglass SAIL: Ripstop Nylon Wind Range: 5 – 18 mph LINE: 300 ft length line included. Price: $25.95
above: 30 foot skyhook SIZE: W 63 x H 100 inches 30 Square feet of lifting sail provides a great platform for launching windsocks, spinners, tails and other line laundry. Range: 6 – 20 mph LINE: 80 to 150 pound line is recommended. Price: $115.95
above: ghost clipper SIZE: 60 inches long and has a mast of 48 inches. Fly it with a single line or use two lines to maneuver the kite in wind from 3 to 20 mph. Price: $53.90
above: four-dekker squadron airplane SIZE: 48 inch wingspan. Fly it with a single line or use two lines to maneuver the kite in wind from 3 to 20 mph. Price: $25.90
above: addiction cool sport stunt SIZE: 72in x 26in and comes with a deluxe kite case and 80 pound test spectra line. Price: $65.00
above: red dragon SIZE : 72 x 408 in WIND RANGE : 8 ~ 18 mph FABRIC : Ripstop Nylon PACKAGING : Nylon Case LINE : Line NOT included ( recommended 500 lb test line ). Price: $1,300.00
above: mega power sled 81 SIZE : 178 x 83 in WIND RANGE: 5 ~ 20 mph FABRIC : Ripstop Nylon PACKAGING: Drogue Chute Bag LINE: Line NOT included ( recommended 500lb to 1000lb Test Line) Depending on wind speed. Price: $249.00
above: langkawi SIZE: 132 x 42 in WIND RANGE: 4 ~ 20 mph FABRIC: Ripstop Nylon FRAME: Wrapped Carbon & Fiberglass PACKAGING: Nylon Case LINE: Line NOT included ( recommended 50 lb Test Line ). Price: $149.00
above: killer whale 8 FOOT LONG KILLER WHALE LINE: LAUNDRY. Price: $149.00
above: south china sea 62.5 x 88 in WIND RANGE: 6 ~ 18 mph FABRIC: Ripstop Nylon FRAME: Epoxy Wound Fiberglass PACKAGING: Nylon Case LINE: Line NOT included (recommended 250lb to 500lb Test Line) Depending on wind speed Includes: a 25 in x 16 ft.,5 in applique tail and four 25 ft fuzzy tails.. Price: $299.00
above: crimson giant flying fish 22.5 ft WIND RANGE : 9 ~ 22 mph FABRIC : Taffeta Nylon PACKAGNG : Nylon Case LINE : Line NOT included ( recommended 500 lb Test Line ). Price: $595.00
above: angel SIZE: 62.5 x 112 in WIND RANGE: 6 ~ 16 mph FABRIC: Ripstop Nylon FRAME: Carbon PACKAGING: Nylon Case LINE: Line NOT included ( recommended 50 lb Test Line ). Price: $119.00
above: tie die teddy bear SIZE : 54 x 96 in WIND RANGE : 9 ~ 22 mph FABRIC : Taffeta Nylon PACKAGING : Nylon Case LINE : Line NOT included ( recommended 90 lb Test Line ). Price: $149.00
above: red octopus SIZE : 36 x 144 in WIND RANGE : 9 ~ 22 mph FABRIC : Ripstop Nylon PACKAGING : Nylon Case LINE : Line NOT included ( recommended 90 lb Test Line. Price: $79.00
above: eagle of paradox SIZE: 114 x 94 in WIND RANGE: 5 ~ 20 mph FABRIC: Ripstop Nylon FRAME: Carbon & Fiberglass PACKAGING: Nylon Case LINE: Line NOT included ( recommended 250 lb Test Line ). Price:$249.00
above: eagle 78″ ROKKAKUS SIZE: (W X L) 63 X 78 in. WIND RANGE : 4 ~ 18 mph FABRIC : Ripstop Nylon FRAME : Wrapped Carbon PACKAGING : Nylon Case LINE : NOT included (150lb test recommended). Price: $90.00
above: blue lobster SIZE ; 120 X 252 in WIND RANGE : 9 ~ 22 mph FABRIC : Taffeta Nylon PACKAGING : Nylon Case LINE : Line NOT included ( Recommended 500 lb Test Line). Price: $995.00
above: squid SIZE: 40 x 120 in WIND RANGE: 4 ~ 18 mph FABRIC: Ripstop Nylon FRAME: Carbon & Fiberglass PACKAGING: Nylon Case LINE: Line NOT included ( recommended 90 lb Test Line ). Price: $119.00
above: mesh-delta rainbow waterfall 11 FT MESH DELTA – RAINBOW SIZE : 132 x 67 in WIND RANGE: 8 ~ 18 mph FABRIC : Ripstop Nylon FRAME : Carbon & Fiberglass PACKAGING: Nylon Case LINE ; Line NOT included ( recommended 150 lb Test Line ). Price: $149.95
Designers: BARBARA MEYER, BERNHARD DINGWERT,CAREL VANDER SANDEN, CARSTEN DOMANN, CEEWAN, CHRISTOPHE GOY, DAVE HOLT, HESPELER BROTHERS, JOACHIM NELLISSEN, JON BURKHARDT, JUERGEN EBBINGHAUS, MIKE DELFAR, PETER LYNN, REZA RAGHEB, ROKKAKUS, ROLF ZIMMERMAN, RON GIBIAN, WILLI KOCH
note: Click on the kite’s names for links to kites.
U.S. electric vehicles get big boost. Spain is shooting for a million electric vehicles by 2012. via huffington post [PR]
20 most important inventions of the next ten years. via businessweek. [PR]
This year at Milan Design Week 2009, a Lexus exhibition will be called ‘lexus l- finesse- crystallised wind’ and designed by Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto. Here is a preview of the exhibit.
‘Lexus l- finesse- crystallised wind’ will re-interpret the ambivalence of the Lexus design philosophy ‘L-finesse’ through a dynamic installation that combines unity in space, sound and lighting.
“Crystallised wind is the result of a conceptual interpretation of the underlying principles of L finesse design”, explains Sou Fujimoto. “The term wind addresses not only the flow of wind, but also symbolizes a flow or current in a greater sense. It is a new horizon where the natural and the artificial coexist in space. I wanted to find a way to give form to that which is formless: to take the flow of air and the passing of time and to represent them in such a way as to explain the essence of the duality of L-finesse. the result is an art form that represents movement yet stillness, and the flow of time in a timeless environment.’
The Lexus space will display an acrylic art piece based on the full-size concept car model, the Lexus super sports concept car, the LF-A as well as a specially designed piece of furniture constructed from acrylic.
The exhibition will take place in Milan’s museo della permanente art gallery, from april 22nd to 26th.
Designer: Sou Fujimoto
USA companies are greener in 2008. via treehugger [PR]
If wind turbines are a turn-on for you… (more…)
Paris council has unveiled plans for a 50-story glass pyramid after voting to drop a ban on high-rise buildings.
Proposals for the Project Triangle, designed by Swiss architecture practice Herzog & de Meuron who designed the Olympic stadium in Beijing. The tower will have offices, a conference center, 400-bedroom hotel and restaurants and cafes. It will be surrounded by parks, gardens and shops. The building is planned to be around 590 feet high which will make the third highest building in Paris. The tower will run on solar and wind power and is set for completion in 2012.
This running feature began in 2008 to develop a story on the state of wind
turbine design. The most current news was inserted February 2010 below.
(top two photos) The world’s largest wind turbine ( in 2008 ) is was the Enercon E-126. This turbine has a rotor diameter of 126 meters (413 feet).
October 2008
The E-126 is a more sophisticated version of the E-112, formerly the world’s largest wind turbine and rated at 6 megawatts. This new turbine is officially rated at 6 megawatts too, but will most likely produce 7+ megawatts (or 20 million kilowatt hours per year). That’s enough to power about 5,000 households of four in Europe. A quick US calculation would be 938 kwh per home per month, 12 months, that’s 11,256 kwh per year per house. That’s 1776 American homes on one wind turbine.
These turbines are equipped with a number of new features: an optimized blade design with a spoiler extending down to the hub, and a pre-cast concrete base. Due to the elevated hub height and the new blade profile, the performance of the E-126 is expected to by far surpass that of the E-112.
One of the more unexpected charms of driving through the Spanish countryside is the proliferation of windmills, especially in the windier, higher plateau areas in the north of the country. We’re not talking about charming medieval ones that Quixote took for giants either — Spain ( below two photos ) is rapidly becoming one of Europe’s leaders in green energy, and broad acceptance of wind power is a big part of it.
In 2007 Spain’s wind power production record was 27% at the time. That seemed like a lot, but a week ago, Spain’s wind turbines produced 40.8% of total demand, or 9,862 megawatts of power.
There’s a catch, though. The previous record was 10,032 megawatts, but that was 28% of total consumption because it happened during a week day and demand was higher. So this new record is a relative record, while the previous one stands as the absolute best in electricity produced. Still, it’s impressive and we hope that others will pay attention and realize that it can be done.
February 2010 ( left ) norway plans to build the world’s most powerful offshore wind turbine like this in 2011.
With a rotor diameter of 475 feet and a height of 533 feet, the 10-megawatt prototype will be roughly three times more powerful than ordinary wind turbines currently in place, hoping the new technology will increase the profitability of costly offshore wind farms.
What if there’s too much wind?
The turbines are built to catch the wind. But what happens if there is too much wind?
There are new generators that are being developed that will better withstand turbulent wind at the same time capable of generating more megawatts. The photo and video below shows one such design.
Global warming has moved our attention to alternative energy generation. We are going to explore what is out there. We want to look at both engineering and aesthetics. Help us grow the story through your comments.
Resources:
treehugger
grist
trends updates
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