Japan built the world's first typhoon-powered wind turbines in Okinawa

A Japanese engineer named Atsushi Shimizu has created the world's first typhoon-powered wind turbines. This turbine is in the form of an electric generator which is designed to utilize the energy packed into a tropical cyclone.

He said that an array of his generators can supply electricity for Japan up to 50 years straight from a single storm event only. As a note, throughout this year, six hurricanes have struck the country's. Is not this a potential energy source?

Atsushi Shimizu posed with the Challenergy typhoon-powered wind turbines. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1eyarN)

"Japan actually has more wind power than solar power, just not utilized," said Shimizu. According to him, Japan has the potential to become a superpower in the wind. Shimizu is the founder of the green energy company named Challenergy and was founded in the year of 2013.

Japan's wind turbines are imported from Europe are not suitable for specific climate of the country. In particular, the wind turbines from Europe have a tendency to be damaged by the typhoon. That is what lies behind the creation of this kind of turbine.

So far, the existing technology does not yet support the turbine to face the cyclone. However, his turbine was designed to overcome the unpredictable the wind patterns and hard blows of wind. This is thanks to omnidirectional axis, as well as adjusted speed of the turbine blades so as not to loose control.

In the company's simulated test, the turbines achieve efficiency levels of 30 percent. That's lower than normal percentage, 40 percent. But once again, normal turbines can not operate in a tropical cyclone. The researchers have installed their first prototype in Okinawa in July 2016. Now, they are awaiting the opportunity to test it with the real hurricane. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CHALLENERGY | INHABITAT | SCIENCE ALERT]

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