Great designs can be recognized at a first glance and this next one is pure genius. We are talking about this amazing wind turbine which looks just like a tree, integrating perfectly into the surroundings. The wind turbine generates energy in an eco-friendly way, using a natural resource and has a pleasant aspect in contrast with other classical turbines. The technology was developed by the French company, called New Wind and the look of the wind turbine is identical with those of trees. The efficiency of the product is guaranteed by the fact that it is functional in low wind too, something we can’t say about other products from this category. But still, the best feature of the product is its look and the fact that it doesn’t interfere with the harmony of nature, as it manages to blend in perfectly.
Power: 3 kilowatts
How much? Where can I get one?
where can I get a tree like that
how much???
With a price tag at about $37,000, this is not for the average home. And I’m wondering how it can pay for itself, as the article claims, in 2 years.
if you multiply 3kw/hr x 24 (hours) x 7 (days/week) x 104 (weeks in 2 years),
you get a total of 52,416kw
If you divide this into $37,000.oo it comes out at 70.89 cents /kw.
So if it generates at full capacity 24 hrs/day, and you use 72 or more kw/day, AND if you pay 70.9cents/kw or more, the statement is correct.
Does the wind blow 24 hours a day where these are? or do they work when the wind isn’t blowing?
I put up a “conventional” turbine several years ago at the cost of 11K. If it does ever pay for itself, I’ll be an old man. But that’s OK- I knew what I was getting into.
Consider for your 37K, if you have a $200/month light bill and you can eliminate it (which is doubtful with this unless you live on a 100ft cliff next to the ocean), that’s 185 months (or 15 years).
Again, I have a turbine and will be soon installing PV and hot water collectors, so I am pro-renewable/sustainable energy, but just be honest folks! Giving people BS stories only hurts the cause.
Sounds good
We are based in Malawi east Africa and can use a few trees like this! can you please send us more information about the costs involved, as well as installation here? We are running an international lodge here.
Regards
Would love one in my back yard. But it is probably just a concept and will never see production
is this product available to purchase yet?
What happens with snow build up? Have you tested in the really bad weather?
Will one tree produce enough for one house. I want to start saving money to buy one.
We have tons of land.
3kW is the current consumed by a standard household electric kettle, so no.
The idea is cool, but it’s going to be high maintenance. The numbers don’t add up either. It generates 3kW ( I must assume this is at higher wind speeds). OK, cool though 3kW is pretty good. It costs $37,000 and the manufacturer says the ROI is 2 years. I don’t spend $18,500 a year on electricity. Some quick math tells me that if this thing runs full bore 24/7 and you pay 12 cents a kW/Hour it will take over 4000 days to recover your investment. PLUS, if you really wanted to get efficient I would set a matrix of these turbines in a wall and set it as a wind break.
Now try the figures with our KWH price here in Hawaii at 42 cents per KWH and it reduces the payback from 4000 days to under 1000 or 3 yrs.
You could say this wind turbine system looks like a piece of modern art, but it is far from looking “just like a tree” and “blending into the natural environment.” I’m not saying it isn’t ingeniously designed and reasonably attractive; I’m just questioning your hyperbole. Also, it would have been great if you had discussed how much energy one could hope to generate with one of these wind “trees” and what they cost.
I agree with you on the hyperbole going beyond the look achieved. You did ask how much energy and how much. They gave those figures $37,000 for 1 tree which I am quoting them as saying “Would pay for itself in 2 years”. That is a pretty big stretch. My electric runs between $59 and $100 a month for a 3 bedroom home with a guesthouse and a greenhouse. It would not be economically feasible for me to purchase this item. I have no idea what 3 KW per hour would be capable of running so for the lay person this little bit of information is lost if not spelled out. What can run on that. I also do not see $37,000 worth of raw materials or finished product that would seem to justify the price. I hope they are doing market research here to see what the roadblocks to sales would or might be. Great idea, thumbs down on a purchase.
Sorry, cool idea but sounds like another one of many snake oil sales pitch that ultimately over promise and under deliver. To really harvest wind energy efficiently you need a big capture area well above the ground away from all sources of turbulence. This appears too close to the ground and all the ‘limbs’ will create turbulence reducing available power and untimely wearing it out prematurely. And the ‘savionus’ turbine design is not as efficient as a modern horizontal turbine.
I left one thing out….If I could generate my electricity this way or even supplement it with the proper weather conditions required I would like very much to be able to do so. It is pricey… too pricey for my wallet. I sure wish that could be cut in half. At about half that cost I would be looking seriously at a tree.
is it Quiet?
I have a better concept and design. All I need is a handful of young aggresive engineers and computer savvy designers to get it out of my head onto the drawing board, and a place to put it all together. I think the whole wind-power concept in place now is all wrong.
Well 10 years for something to pay for itself is not horrible it’s better than alot of the current solar options
Mary Catherine is exactly right.
The concept is cool. But the tree mounting system is pointless. I just want some of the mini turbines by themselves that I can mount on my roof or on existing structures.
Need way more information. Says 3 kilowatts. Is that per hour, per day, per year. This has so little technical info as to make it nothing but a fluff piece to make environmental activists happy.
Wonder how friendly it is for the inevitable birds and other wild life that are attracted to trees…
Would one provide enough energy for a group of homesWhat maintenence is involved.
It’s ugly as sin.
1) It doesn’t look just like a tree, although it’s rather attractive.
2) 3kW is okay, but is it worth the price and the space it would take up?
3) Finally, things will live in it. Those little turbines will attract nesting insects, hummingbirds, lizards, god knows what small animals. And that’s if the snow, ice and dust storms don’t get it first.
Pretty, though.
I’m sure the ROI is predicated on selling any excess power generated back to the electric company. If your power usage is low enough and the wind is high enough to generate the rated wattage, the ROI may even be lower than 2 years.
Like Chad, I am curious how it handles in snowy, icy weather. And how it handles extreme wind (we had gusts verging on 80 mph this past week). I am not disparaging it. I looks a lot safer for the birds than the conventional turbines. I am thinking if they catch on, the price tag will go down a bit.
It really depends on maintaining wind speeds of 7kph or greater and how much your current energy costs are.
Assuming minimum 7 kph prevailing winds 100% of the time and maximum power production of 3KWH and an energy cost of US$0.253, (Dominican Republic) this tree produces :
24 hours x 3 KW X 100%= 72KWh daily
or US$6,642 annual savings
If the total landed & installed cost is US$37,000 is correct, it may yield a cash payback of 5.6 years, if you consume more than 72 KwH daily.
Was this dreamt up because current turbine designs don’t screw with the birds enough? Give it some thought, as far as FULL environmental impact is concerned things are never as green as they seem.
“the best feature of the product is its look and the fact that it doesn’t interfere with the harmony of nature, as it manages to blend in perfectly.”
Even in an Aspen grove this is too white. Love the idea. Does not fit in nature whatsoever.
Can you send more information about this please