Eco Factor: Researcher group working on a low-cost, efficient method to convert wind vibrations to electricity.
Instead of harvesting wind energy using wind turbines, a research group at Cornell University is trying to harvest vibrations caused in materials on a gusty day. The Vibro-Wind Research Group at the university is working on an efficient, low-cost method of converting vibrations from wind energy to electricity.
While traditional wind turbines are expensive and not much liked by the inhabitants of that area, the vibration system isn’t an eyesore and can generate energy without emitting much noise. The team has tested a prototype consisting of a panel mounted with oscillators made out of pieces of foam.
The actual conversion from mechanical to electrical energy was done using a piezoelectric transducer, which is a device made of a ceramic or polymer that emits electrons when stressed. The team is also searching for alternatives to the piezoelectric transducer and is checking the feasibility of electromagnetic coils instead.
Via: Physorg
