Sources of renewable energy

IceFjoem

Ok, I'm completely new to the forum, but I did study engineering for all of one year before changing discipline, so bear with me. Would it be possible to take advantage of the resonate frequency of a material to generate power? For instance, if you could design an object to resonate close to its resonate frequency by picking up a light breeze, or something less variable, or even a design that could adapt to the changing intensity of a breeze to the point that it was violently oscillating, it would absolutely be possible to harness that energy. Has anything like this been tried? Is it even plausible?

mawk

Windbelt or aeroelastic flutter turbine is what you are looking for

IceFjoem

mawk wrote: »

Windbelt or aeroelastic flutter turbine is what you are looking for

Any good?

IceFjoem

http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/energy/solar-wind/4224763

Very cool actually, thanks for that!

It seems to produce about 10 miliwatts at 10mph of wind which isn't great though, would it be possible to use some kind of magnetic tape and put bigger coils that would stretch the full length of the thing?

(Is this how threads in the eng forum work? how am I doing? )

chris85

There have also been innovations such as wind stalks.

http://news.discovery.com/tech/alternative-power-sources/windpower-without-blades-101015.htm

IceFjoem

chris85 wrote: »

There have also been innovations such as wind stalks.

http://news.discovery.com/tech/alternative-power-sources/windpower-without-blades-101015.htm

Ye that's more along the lines of what I was thinking of actually, good to see that the engineers are still ahead of the laymen anyway!

What do you guys think of these designs anyway? I'd love to hear your opinions.

mawk

Opinion?
I like them. But I totally see how niche their applications are.
brilliant for powering sensors, not so much for boiling kettles

chris85

IceFjoem wrote: »

Ye that's more along the lines of what I was thinking of actually, good to see that the engineers are still ahead of the laymen anyway!

What do you guys think of these designs anyway? I'd love to hear your opinions.

I havent done much research into them to be honest, but as usual down to efficieny, cost, and ability to manufacture.

Many other renewables worth researching also.

mawk

Well the windbelt costs and manufacturing hassle are minimal.

2x4s and belts basically. Efficiency is all down to picking the correct environment.
It's total output that is the problem.

I haven't checked in on the guys in years but I seen to remember them planning 1w/m belts that could be arrayed and repaired by anyone with a hammer and a scissors.

Tbf though you can save a lot more energy in any smallish scale that you can make with renewables. So these are only for unusual uses.

What area of energy interests you? Domestic? Grid level? Third world?