Photo: AVE
Tornados are usually thought of as being highly-unwanted and destructive, and throughout history, they have wreaked havoc around the world. However, under controlled conditions, they can be created and harnessed in order to create electricity very cleanly.
According to Canadian engineer, Lous Michaud, his patented Atmospheric Vortex Engine or AVE does just that. It uses the same natural process that creates the destructive tornados we all know, yet on a much smaller scale and in complete safety. Warm air is introduced into a special compartment, and the difference in temperature between it and the surrounding air allows an actual tornado to form.
The turbulence generated then drives several small wind turbines, which in turn generate an electrical current. The main benefit of the system is the low operation cost (as well as the inherent environmental advantages), and its inventor claims his system can theoretically produce current as cheaply as $0.03 per kWh.
To give you an idea of how much power such a system could potentially make, Michaud says that an AVE with a diameter of 100 meters or 328 feet could make as much as 200 MW - a very impressive feat.
In his own words, Michaud explains why he chose tornados to generate power: "The power in a tornado is undisputed [ . . . ] My work has established the principles by which we can control and exploit that power to provide clean energy on an unprecedented scale."
Story via cleantechnica.com
The turbulence generated then drives several small wind turbines, which in turn generate an electrical current. The main benefit of the system is the low operation cost (as well as the inherent environmental advantages), and its inventor claims his system can theoretically produce current as cheaply as $0.03 per kWh.
To give you an idea of how much power such a system could potentially make, Michaud says that an AVE with a diameter of 100 meters or 328 feet could make as much as 200 MW - a very impressive feat.
In his own words, Michaud explains why he chose tornados to generate power: "The power in a tornado is undisputed [ . . . ] My work has established the principles by which we can control and exploit that power to provide clean energy on an unprecedented scale."
Story via cleantechnica.com
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