VAWT Vertical Axis Wind Turbine / Understand the advantages and disadvantages of VAWTs

Vertical Axis Wind Turbines are not as efficient as the more common Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines, but they do offer benefits in low wind situations. They also tend to be safer, easier to build, can be mounted close to the ground, and handles turbulence much better. The commonest VAWT is a Savonius VAWT which is an extended version of an anemometer (wind speed measuring tool). VAWTs can offer up to 30% efficiency and they work equally well no matter which direction the wind is coming from.

Types of Vertical Axis Wind Turbine

There are two main types of VAWT - the Darrieus which uses lift forces generated by aerofoils, and the Savonius which uses drag forces (pictured above and mentioned earlier). Click on the links in this paragraph to find out more about each type of wind turbine. A variant of the Darrieus type wind turbine is the Giromill.

Buying a Commercial VAWT

VAWT Wind Turbines are not the easiest thing to find on the internet, however here is a link to a page describing one place where you can Buy a Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT) , or click here to find out about one UK-based commercial VAWT QR5 Vertical Axis Wind Turbine from Quiet Revolution.

VAWT Resources

Below are a collection of links to useful online resources for anyone who would like to better understand Vertical Axis Wind Turbines:
Wind Stuff Now - Lenz Turbine
Micro wind power with a Savonius rotor
The Savonius Super Rotor