Minnesota-based wind power company Sheerwind announced on Wednesday that it will be building a pilot deployment of its Invelox wind power stations for Dubal Aluminum PJSC in Dubai.
Sheerwind made headlines last year when it debuted its invelox collection system, which looks dramatically different than standard wind turbines. The system amplifies the velocity of wind by putting it through a constricted section of pipes. This technique in fluid dynamics is known as the Venturi Effect.
The company says this design can capture winds at speeds as low as 1 mile per hour, utilize 90 percent less land than upright turbines, and reduce capital costs to $750 per kilowatt. According to the Department of Energy, the capacity-weighted average installed cost of the more common wind turbine design was $1,940 per kilowatt. While this cost has been decreasing, Sheerwind’s claims would mean a massive reduction in capital cost for wind power adoption.
Time for Plan ‘B’
TransCanada has been waiting years for regulatory approval of the Keystone XL Pipeline, and our chief energy analyst Keith Kohl thinks it will be delayed until after the 2016 Presidential election. What does that mean for TransCanada investors? It means a backup plan might kick into effect.
