Quiet Revolution wind turbine installed at Mercedes Benz in Tongwell

As more businesses turn to different kinds of green power, it’s always exciting to see businesses step out into a revolutionary mode and try something new and innovative. When  Mercedes-Benz UK announced they would install vertical axis wind turbines at their site in Tongwell, Milton Keynes, it brought out that kind of emotion. There were only five other turbines installed anywhere in the UK, so this was a very innovative move as the German automobile manufacturer made this decision. Even better, the turbines could be used to power their smart cars, in this case, the smart Fortwos.

The wind turbine the company installed was a 20m in height and its design was compact enough to be fully functional in an urban environment. Unlike horizontal axis wind turbines, the vertical axis wind turbines spin in a specialized helical pattern so the specially designed, carbon fiber blades will catch the air no matter which way the wind is blowing.

President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz UK, Wilfried Steffen, said: “Mercedes-Benz is taking the lead by installing this energy saving technology; we hope to inspire other local companies to do whatever they can to reduce their carbon footprint. Mercedes-Benz invests in a wide range of environmental technologies through its vehicles and production facilities and this is another way we can lead by example and make a difference.”

The turbine is expected to generate enough electricity to power two of the electric Fortwos for approximately 30,000 miles. This is approximately the same amount of power that would be required to power two average size houses for a year. Quiet Revolution Ltd is the renewable energy company that manufactured the wind turbines. These are the same turbines used at the 2012 London Olympics, although Mercedes was first!

Renewable energy has been a focal point of Mercedes-Benz as they have explored many other possible solutions such as rainwater harvesting, solar water heating, ground source heat pumps and other forms of wind energy.

Now that the Olympics have wrapped up it’s time to highlight an under-appreciated star. We’ve seen the likes of Usain Bolt and Michel Phelps take home multiple medals, but no ones mentioned the unsung heroes of the air.

Seven vertical axis wind turbines were installed in the London Olympic complex, contributing to Great Britain’s efforts in making the 2012 Olympics the greenest ever.

The Olympic park was originally slated to host a large conventional axis wind turbine, but when this plan fell through, 7 smaller vertical axis wind turbines were installed. Not only did they provide renewable energy to power street lights, the modern design of the VAWT’s added to the overall artistic aesthetic of the Olympic site.

The wind turbines were manufactured by Quiet Revolution, an England-based wind turbine manufacturer. The qr5 model wind turbines are designed to provide up to 7500 kWh of energy per year each. Enough to reduce the energy required by the high powered street lights 40%.

Rising 18 m above street level, the unique design of the 8kW turbines provides an interesting showpiece for spectators and athletes as they walk from one event to the next.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uJCiJmVbjM[/youtube]

Smaller scale vertical axis wind turbines are more suitable for generating power within urban environments, due to fluctuating wind directions and speeds typical of most cities.