Oct. 10 () –
Scientists at Nanyang Technological University have invented a low-cost device that can harness the power of the wind as soft as a breeze and store it as electricity.
When exposed to wind speeds as low as 2 meters per second (m/s), the device can produce a voltage of three volts and generate electrical power of up to 290 microwatts, which is enough to power a commercial sensor device and to also send the data to a mobile phone or a computer.
The lightweight, durable device, called a wind harvester, also diverts electricity that isn’t in use to a battery, where it can be stored to power devices in the absence of wind.
The scientists say their invention has the potential to replace batteries in powering light-emitting diode (LED) lights and structural health monitoring sensors. They are used in urban structures, such as bridges and skyscrapers, to monitor their structural health, alerting engineers to problems such as instabilities or physical damage.
At just 15 centimeters by 20 centimeters, the device can be easily mounted on the sides of buildings and would be ideal for urban environments, such as the suburbs of Singapore, where the average wind speed is less than 2.5 m/s, except for thunderstorms.
The findings were published in the journal Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing in September. Professor Yang Yaowen, a structural engineer at the University of Singapore’s School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, who led the project, said it’s a statement: “As a renewable and clean energy source, wind power generation has attracted a great deal of research attention. Our research aims to address the lack of a small-scale energy harvester for more specific functions, such as powering sensors and smaller electronic devices.
“The device we developed also serves as a potential alternative to smaller lithium-ion batteries, as our wind harvester is self-sufficient and would require only occasional maintenance, and does not use heavy metals which, if not disposed of properly, could cause environmental damage.
