Japan's vertical coaxial contra-rotating twin blade turbines are being tested in Hawaii.
Instead of having long arms that stick out to the side, atop a tall pole, these new devices - known as VCCTs - have multiple small blades aligned up and down that spin around the centre of the tower. "These compact vertical turbines are successfully used in densely populated areas throughout Japan," Hawaiʻi Community Development Authority Executive Director Craig Nakamoto said in a statement to Spectrum News.
The VCCT has several major advantages in energy generation, because the compact vertical shape makes it narrow enough to fit between buildings, so it can be used in an urban setting, not just out in the countryside.
Another positive factor is that the VCCT can adapt to wind speeds ranging from 7 to 134 mph. That means it will be running most of the time, day and night. In many locations, that makes it even more reliable than solar.
The further good news is that, unlike traditional turbines, the VCCT is safe for birds. In fact, some reports say that birds occasionally nest in the Japanese towers. This, therefore, eliminates one of the biggest bug-bears of traditional turbines, which sometimes kill birds that try to fly between the blades.
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