Although I can not claim to have found an alternate source of clean energy, I do have a suggestion to reduce our overall energy dependence on fossil fuels while stimulating an industry that has so far failed to live up to its full potential. I would like to see the expansion of our wind turbine capacity by exploiting the existing energy grid via the network of transmission towers. In short, I am suggesting converting existing transmission towers into hybrid wind turbines as well.
Most people when they think of wind turbines focus on the more traditional Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine or HAWT, however I am basing my suggestion on the lesser known Vertical Axis Wind Turbine or VAWT. Although they do not produce as much energy per unit as HAWT systems, if only due to scale, they nevertheless offer some unique advantages which makes them ideal for being used in conjunction with our existing energy grid.
The question as to where to locate wind turbines has generated its own controversy. The more familiar HAWT has all too often generated a “Not in my backyard” movement even amongst self-proclaimed environmentalists. There is as well, the additional problem of building them in areas of optimum wind conditions, of constructing service roads and power transmission once the wind farms have been established.
Using pre-existing electrical transmission towers, starting in areas where conditions would be deemed favourable, should eliminate any local opposition to such a development. As there have not been any cases of transmission towers being removed due to their conflict with local aesthetics, one can assume that adding wind turbines to existing transmission towers should not generate as much opposition, as new energy. They would also offer an additional advantage as maintenance roads/trails would already exist and would therefore serve double duty in maintaining the VAWTs.
An oft cited problem with VAWTs has been that maintenance is more frequently required, in comparison to HAWTs, as most of the weight of the shaft bearing the blades rests on a bearing at its base. The solution developed in the past has been to construct a tower around the VAWT, allowing some of the weight to be bourn by a bearing at the top of the shaft. The additional costs associated with developing VAWTs with towers has consequently contributed to its marginalization in the wind turbine industry. Of course using the existing electrical transmission towers would reduce their costs considerably.
It should also be pointed out that such a hybrid transmission tower and wind turbine could offer a solution to another problem affecting our energy grid. The occasional power outage outages or blackouts have prompted the industry to push for the development of large batteries in order to store sufficient power to cushion any fluctuations the power grid may experience. Locating such batteries at the base of some of the VAWT transmission towers, where the Direct Current (DC) power would be collected and subsequently released to the power grid as Alternating Current (AC) as needed.
One further benefit to the development of VAWT transmission lines would be as a means of ensuring the creation of new power transmission lines as needed. Currently in my home province of Alberta, as elsewhere, there is considerable opposition by landowners who find themselves forced to cede property to the power companies at a financial loss. If however a revenue sharing agreement were to be reached from the power derived from the proposed hybrid towers, then it would be fair to say opposition would be minimal.
If there is any merit to the old phrase "Build a better mousetrap and the World will beat a path to your door." Then we should see examples of hybrid wind turbine transmission towers in the (hopefully) not too distant future.
