Adam Fuller of Racine, Wisconsin (not to be confused with Simon Fuller of American Idol) has a Big Idea. While other inventors have been dabbling in the idea of small vertical wind turbines for home use, Fuller has been developing a large utility scale vertical wind turbine with a very unique design.
Upon first glance of Fuller’s vertical axis wind turbine one can see that it is different than the three blades horizontal utility scale wind generators to which we have been accustomed. One can also see that this machine is unique even among other vertical axis wind turbines.
The structure (picture left) that Fuller has built is approximately 12 ft. wide by 36 ft. tall and features 8 rows of 4 scoop units revolving around a single axel. As one can see the design is bird friendly since birds can actually see this turbine rather than the swift blades of a horizontal design.
One of the problems Fuller is facing is money. He’s sunk all of his dinero into this project and tapped on the shoulders of all politicians in Wisconsin and Illinois with no luck. People seem to view his vertical wind turbine as a nice piece of art and a novelty, and neglect the fact that his machine has three times the output of a comparable horizontal axis wind turbine.
Fuller calculates that if his design was scaled up to around 120 ft. tall, it would produce between 30,000 and 75,000 kilowatt hours per month or enough to power 30 to 75 average homes.
Fuller has an even new design (picture right) that he also hopes to develop if he can find some angel investors. One could easily picture this vertical axis wind turbine outside a major metropolitan museum, providing power and in a visually appealing manner.