International Workshop on

SMALL SCALE WIND ENERGY FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

organized by RISOE DTU, Denmark and JKUAT, Kenya

September 14-16, 2009,

Nairobi,

Kenya

VERTICAL AXIS TURBINES:

A MORE APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY

Leopoldo Salmaso

MD, MITD, MPH, University of Padova, Italy

on behalf of:

VERTICAL AXIS TURBINES:

A MORE APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY

U&Us, Italy

Salesians of Don Bosco, East AfricaTANDEM, Tanzania

MED, ItalyPassionist Fathers, East Africa

University of Padova, Italy

University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

KAKUTE, TIRDO and TATC, Tanzania

Regione del Veneto, Italy

The “old American” HAWT *

is golden standard

in Africa, but is NOT

appropriate technology

* Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine

APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY:

- ACCEPTABILITY

- ACCESSIBILITY:• materials• production• installation• maintenance• spare parts• disposal• DESIGN

DESIGN: the simplest VAWT

( Vertical Axis Wind Turbine )

DESIGN : After 30+ years experience in East Africa, we believe that the Vertical Axis Wind Turbines

(VAWTs) are more appropriate to our setting than HAWTs, for the reasons summarized in the next table:

HAWT VAWT

Rotational Axes 2 1

Need of a helm yes no

Need of stall position yes no

Works with winds < 3 m/sec. poorly fine

Works with winds > 25 m/sec. no yes

Works with turbulent winds poorly fine

Resistance to hurricanes poor high

Relative complexity high low

Relative need of maintenance high low

HAWTs are intrinsically more

efficient than VAWTs, but the

parameter that really matters is

COST- EFFICIENCY.

VAWTs are simpler and cheaper.

As a matter of fact, in the mini-eolic

sector VAWTs are highly competitive

today in the western market.

If we consider this matter from the point of view of a developing Country, we need to calculate the real, present and future costs of TECHNOLOGICAL DEPENDENCE.

We conclude that the simpler design, i.e. slow VAWT, is by far the more appropriate.

Superb design,

Appropriate materials,

but…

…too fast !

Combining VAWT with water tank

STEP 1 (what we have done)

we have designed and constructed prototypes producing 0.2 to 20 KW.

They are patented, and carry the Trade Mark:

STEP 1 (cont.)

With EOLEO (E olic O pen L icenses for

E qual O pportunities) U&Us is EC’s Official Partner in the Sustainable Energy Europe Campaign

STEP 3 (our goal)

Subjects willing to produce and install the EOLEO windmills in Developing Countries will be granted royalty free licence and technical support, provided they adhere to our ethical code, and loyally contribute to the progress of the “open source” EOLEO Community.

STEP 2 (what we are doing)

We are preparing an EAST-AFRICAN MASTER COURSE on APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY WINDMILLS, in collaboration with VETA (the Tanzanian Authority for Vocational Training) and with the Salesians of Don Bosco who have a secular experience in Vocational Training, and run VT schools

in 132 Countries worldwide.

STEP 2 (cont.)

The best performing pupils from the VT Schools in Kenya, Tanzania and other African Countries will be offered a scholarship

to participate in the Master Course.

A Cooperative of past-pupils will be followed and assisted in producing,

marketing, installing, and maintaining the EOLEO windmills.

STEP 2 (cont.)

Micro-Credit schemes will support the past-pupils, and possibly their clients as well.

Special incentives will be granted for the safe disposal of exhausted Lead-Acid batteries, and possibly for clean technologies of energy storage (Lithium-Polymer batteries, hydrogen production, etc.)

Thanks for

your attention