Two Contenders At GE's ECOmagination Challenge Propose Wind Turbine/Solar CPV Combo

Together with a Dutch team, a wind turbine fitting on the ridge of gable roofs was developed.The turbine is typically placed over the whole width of the roof and -as the diameter is only 45 cm (22")- it is not intrusive and aesthetically pleasing, while being very economical. They designed a grid /tied inverter that additionally accepts solar PV panels. Traditional technologies (both horizontal and vertical axis) turbines require at least a 3m (10') diameter turbine for a similar output, are bulky (and therefore aesthetically not acceptable) and difficult to mount on a residential roof.

The designers believe that this is the first real attempt to introduce residential wind energy and their approach is to obtain exemptions for building permits and zoning requirements,considering the small impact on the building and acceptable aesthetics, which will even please the NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) crowd. They recognize the importance to have contractors and architects on their camp.

Shawn Buckley and his partners designed a solar PV concentrator. Using Fresnel mirrors, the sunlight is concentrated on an amount of silicon that is only 5% of the silicon normally required by a solar photo-voltaic panel with a similar performance. As silicon is expensive and the Fresnel mirrors are cheap - in particular at large volumes - this technology may well change the solar PV industry.

What makes Shawn's system special is that in addition to delivering electricity, the module also captures solar heat that can potentially heat water. The solar CPV panel thus also acts as a solar heater, while improving efficiency because of cooling. This clearly improves the savings offered by the solar PV concentrator.

Their designs are breakthrough approaches and while competing during the ECOmagination Challenge they recognized each other's strongholds. After some brainstorming weeks they came with this concept, marrying their technologies in a very efficient fashion: On top of the turbine, a custom solar PV concentrator is mounted replacing the cap that normally covers the wind turbine. This has a series of benefits:

1. The installation cost isnot much more than that of the wind turbine (or solar PV concentrator) alone.

2. Placing it on top of the roof guarantees unobstructed sunlight exposure to the solar concentrator, regardless of how the roof is positioned.

3. Both systems share one inverter; a significant cost savings.

This is a link to the ECOMagination challenge: http://challenge.ecomagination.com/home/SmartWind-RidgeBlaster-18-kW-wind-turbin In Phase II of this competition, participants from all over the world share their best ideas on how to improve our energy future. Phase two of the ECOmagination Challenge focuses on "Powering Your Home": and shows innovative concepts about capturing, managing, and using energy in the home and it is amazing that this generated more than 800 ideas. Although the contest closed 15 March 2011 the website is still active so if you are interested to see some of the ideas you can still do that.


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After 27 years in international marketing, Dutch national James Post moved to Grenada , doing consultancy, writes articles on environmental, technology, tourism and the outdoors. He started a website with free coaching to beginners in article marketing promotion and wrote a review hereto.