Z4 ENERGY SYSTEMS, LLC 25 Dizzy Horse Road Buford, Wyoming 82052 U.S.A. (307)766-5044

Z4 solves problems for rural homes, farms, ranches and small business by developing useful, smart residential scale renewable energy products.

Product: Rotor Blade for Residential-Scale Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine

Problems with residential-scale wind turbines:

  • Low energy production
  • High up-front costs
  • High cost of maintenance
  • Payback periods can be 17 to 30 years

The Solution is Z4's rotor blade design for horizontal-axis turbines

  • Blades bend and twist in response to changing wind speed
  • Twist to "feather" to "fly" through turbulence
  • Maintains optimum generator speed
  • Harvests more energy
  • Controls overspeed
  • Use on upwind and downwind machines
  • Thermoplastic composite materials are durable, lightweight and 100% recyclable

Status

1.5 kW prototype blades have been fabricated and field tested for 6 months.

Z4 is seeking a strategic partner to collaborate on optimizing a residential-scale turbine with our custom blades for increased energy production and improved turbine maintenance and lifespan.

Benefits

  • 35% higher energy harvest
  • 20% reduction in blade loading
  • Cost of Energy performance in Class 3 regions equivalent to Class 5
  • Passive overspeed control
  • Improved reliability

Acknowledgments

This research is funded by the National Science Foundation under SBIR Phase II Grant No. IIP-0924695. "An Advanced Aeroelastic Thermoplastic Composite Blade for Residential Scale Wind Turbines."

Kevin Luke, Principal Investigator

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