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Calculations are based on an interest rate of 10% per annum over a 3 year term with no deposit. This budget tool is intended as a guide and starting point only and is not in any way a finance quotation. Please refer here for our site terms.
One of the big questions of electric vehicle charging, is how green is the energy that's used to power them?
It almost seems irrelevant if the energy used to power EV charging stations is as dirty as the emissions of a combustion engine. So, Jim Bardia, an inventor who spent years engineering things like race cars, has come up with an idea to work on a better windmill.
The Wind & Solar Tower is designed on a vertical axis, which spins like a top, rather than a wheel, like what you'd find on a conventional windmill. Added to that is a solar panel that, W&ST claims, improves the electrical output by up to 45%.
This combined energy can generate 169,000 kWh of renewable energy each year, which can produce 965,606km of range for vehicles.
The towers can charge up to six vehicles at a time and have a 1,000 kW battery array built-in, with a grid connection that diverts surplus energy to the grid.
It's no easy task to create these towers though. The design is the result of multiple patents and uses a magnetic levitation bearing that reduces friction and increases efficiency. Because of the magnetic repulsion, moving parts don't come in contact. This increases the electrical output curve, according to Bardia.
The windmill is connected to a multispeed sequential gearbox, which allows power to be generated at wind speeds as low 8kmh or as high as 120kmh.
The solar panel is self-cleaning, which reduces performance degradation caused by the build-up of dirt, bird droppings, and other substance, and also means it'll require less maintenance.
It's not known when the Wind & Solar Towers will be ready for mass production but the idea of green energy is certainly one to keep an eye on.
Calculations are based on an interest rate of 10% per annum over a 3 year term with no deposit. This budget tool is intended as a guide and starting point only and is not in any way a finance quotation. Please refer here for our site terms.
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