While photovoltaic is starting (thank goodness) to dominate the roofs of our cities, mini wind power has so far remained on the margins of the urban energy revolution. Barring brilliant intuitions like this Italian one it has always been too noisy, too bulky, and inefficient. Or at least, that's how it was until yesterday. A Dutch company has just reinvented the wind turbine, drawing inspiration from a 2000-year-old idea. Let's see what it's all about.
A revolutionary turbine in the urban landscape
The company The Archimedes has developed an innovative solution that could transform the way we produce energy in our cities. Their Liam F1 Urban Wind Turbine It stands out for its helical design inspired by the famous Archimedes screw1 and the shape of the nautilus shell.
The weighing less than 100 kg and a diameter of only 150 centimetres, this compact turbine fits perfectly into the urban context. Its structure has been designed to maximize efficiency while minimizing environmental impact.
The turbine promises a annual production capacity of approximately 1500 kWh, which represents almost half of the average consumption of a family unit.
Amazing performance in mini wind
One of the most interesting features of this innovation in the field of mini wind power is its ability to work even in relatively light winds, starting from 5 meters per second. The system automatically orients itself to best capture wind energy, constantly optimizing its efficiency.
The Dutch company says the turbine can convert up to 88% of wind energy into electricity, a figure significantly higher than the 25-50% of traditional turbines. They tested the prototype, in their words, “more than 50 times” to confirm these impressive numbers. I would have preferred “more than 50.000 times”, but it seems that this technology has already placed 7.000 turbines sold in 14 different countries.
This home wind generator would be particularly suited to low-wind environments, opening up new possibilities for renewable energy production in urban settings.
One thing does not exclude the other: integration with other renewable systems
A particularly interesting aspect of the Liam F1 is its compatibility with solar panels. This feature allows for the creation of a hybrid system that guarantees more constant energy production: when the wind drops, solar energy can compensate, and vice versa. The turbine is already available on the European market with a price ranging between 3.500 and 4.000 euros. However, I would like to point out that there are still no independent studies that confirm the performances declared by the manufacturer. If someone already owns the device and wants to share their experience, we will give them space. Come forward!
For those interested in this innovative mini wind system, the company provides more information on their website thearchimedes.com. But before proceeding with the purchase, I repeat, it is advisable to wait for independent verification of the declared performances.
- The Archimedean screw is a device used to lift water. It consists of a spiral inside a tube; by rotating, it moves the water upwards. ↩︎