Massagee Troy Item 11

Omnidirectional Wind Turbine Project:
Item 11
Feasibility Analysis
Troy Massagee
Capitol Technology University
EN-408 L01
Prof. Hampton
December 4, 2017
Feasibility Analysis 1
Table of Contents
Executive Summary ...................................................................................................... 5
Idea:............................................................................................................................. 5
Benefits:....................................................................................................................... 5
Drawbacks: .................................................................................................................. 5
Conclusions and Recommendations: .......................................................................... 5
Introductory Overview .................................................................................................. 6
Problem statement: ..................................................................................................... 6
Proposed solution: ....................................................................................................... 6
Anticipated outcome: ................................................................................................... 6
Problem Statement........................................................................................................ 7
Problem Background .................................................................................................... 7
What is the Nature of the Problem? ............................................................................. 7
Can the Problem be Solved? ....................................................................................... 8
What are the Short-Term Effects of the Problem? ....................................................... 9
What are the Long-Term Effects of the Problem? ....................................................... 9
When Did the Problem Develop? .............................................................................. 10
What Caused the Problem?....................................................................................... 10
How Long has the Problem Existed? ......................................................................... 11
How Severe is the Problem? ..................................................................................... 11
Where Does the Problem Occur? .............................................................................. 12
Who is Affected by the Problem? .............................................................................. 12
How Many People are Affected by the Problem? ...................................................... 12
Who Will Benefit from the Solution? .......................................................................... 13
Who Else is Involved in Solving the Problem? ........................................................... 13
What is Needed to Solve the Problem? ..................................................................... 13
Problem Conclusion: ................................................................................................. 13
Idea Justification ......................................................................................................... 14
Project Overview: ...................................................................................................... 14
Strengths: .................................................................................................................. 14
Weaknesses: ............................................................................................................. 14
Opportunities: ............................................................................................................ 15
Threats: ..................................................................................................................... 15
Alternative Ideas: ....................................................................................................... 15
Project Conclusion: .................................................................................................... 17
Assumptions ............................................................................................................... 17
Capabilities of the Project Manager: .......................................................................... 17
Extent and Availability of Material Resources: ........................................................... 17
Extent and Availability of Technological Resources: ................................................. 18
Extent and Availability of Logistical Resources: ......................................................... 18
Extent and Availability of Financial Resources: ......................................................... 18
Extent and Availability of Referential Resources: ...................................................... 19
Current and Projected Need for the Idea: .................................................................. 19
Expected Receptivity of the Idea Among Those Who Will Benefit: ............................ 19
Constraints .................................................................................................................. 19
Limitations of the Project Manager: ........................................................................... 19

Barriers to Completion of the Project: ........................................................................ 20
Barriers to Large-Scale Implementation of the Idea: ................................................. 20
Other Constraints: ..................................................................................................... 20
Conclusion of Assumptions and Constraints: ............................................................ 20
Literature/Technology/Professional Environment Overview .................................. 21
Item 1: Results of Technology Review ...................................................................... 21
Item 4: Results of Professional Environment Review ................................................ 23
Item 5: Results of Professional Environment Review ................................................ 24
Item 6: Results of Literature Review .......................................................................... 25
Item 7: Results of Literature Review .......................................................................... 26
Conclusion: ................................................................................................................ 27
Design Specifications ................................................................................................. 28
Design Overview: ...................................................................................................... 28
Overview of Real World Usage: ................................................................................. 29
Major Design Features: ............................................................................................. 30
Description of Design Components: .......................................................................... 30
Description of Usage: ................................................................................................ 32
Conclusion: ................................................................................................................ 32
Considerations and Resolutions of Environmental, Safety, Ethical, Social and
Political Issues ............................................................................................................ 33
Environmental:........................................................................................................... 33
Safety: ....................................................................................................................... 33
Ethical: ....................................................................................................................... 34
Social: ........................................................................................................................ 35
Political: ..................................................................................................................... 35
Beyond Earth: ............................................................................................................ 36
Conclusion: ................................................................................................................ 36
Generation and Sustainability Analysis .................................................................... 37
Product Assessment Strategies: ................................................................................ 37
Measurement Tools and Criteria for Evaluating the Product: .................................... 38
Decision Criteria for Product Assessment: ................................................................ 39
Resource Requirements for Production: .................................................................... 39
Availability of Resources:........................................................................................... 40
End-user Training and Support Efforts: ..................................................................... 40
Candidate for Group Projects: ................................................................................... 41
Conclusion: ................................................................................................................ 41
Economic Issues and Financial Analysis ................................................................. 42
Tangible Costs:.......................................................................................................... 42
Tangible Benefits: ...................................................................................................... 44
Intangible Benefits: .................................................................................................... 45
Net Effect: .................................................................................................................. 46
Conclusion: ................................................................................................................ 47
Project Conclusions.................................................................................................... 48
Problem Conclusions: ................................................................................................ 48

Solution Conclusions: ................................................................................................ 48
Project Conclusions: .................................................................................................. 48
Recommendations ...................................................................................................... 49
Recommendations for the Problem: .......................................................................... 49
Recommendations for the Solution: ........................................................................... 49
Recommendations for the Project: ............................................................................ 49
Appendices .................................................................................................................. 50
Appendix A: Project Proposal .................................................................................... 50
Appendix B: Senior Project Approval ......................................................................... 53
Appendix C: Schedule for EN-408 Coursework ......................................................... 54
Appendix D: Schedule for Completing Senior Design Project (EE-458) .................... 57
References ................................................................................................................... 60
Tables and Figures

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table 1: Total Energy-Related CO2 Emissions from the United States .......................... 9
Table 2: Equations for Deriving H-Rotor Wind Turbine Efficiency ................................. 38
Table 3: Estimates of Tangible Costs ............................................................................ 42
Table 4: Estimates of Intangible Costs .......................................................................... 44
Table 5: Estimates of Tangible Benefits ........................................................................ 45
Table 6: Estimates of Intangible Benefits ...................................................................... 46
Table 7: Estimated Net Effect of Costs and Benefits ..................................................... 46
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Figure 1: U.S.A.'s Energy Sources Organized by Type ................................................... 7
Figure 2: USA's Energy Sources Organized by Consumption Type ................................ 8
Figure 3: General Life Cycle for Nuclear Fuel (Uranium-235) ....................................... 11
Figure 4: Left is a Savonius rotor, Middle is a Darrieus turbine, and right is an H-rotor 16
Figure 5: Diagram Layout of Wind Turbine Components .............................................. 28
Figure 6: Diagram of Electrical Components ................................................................. 29
Figure 7: Diagram of Proposed VAWT Project .............................................................. 51
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Executive Summary
Idea:
The Omnidirectional Wind Turbine Project seeks to create a working prototype of a

vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) on a scale suitable for an individual’s home use. This
VAWT is intended to be placed and used in areas of unstable but frequent wind
patterns. This prototype should generate electricity compatible with the U.S. power grid.
Benefits:
Building a prototype vertical axis wind turbine has wide applications towards the
problem of advancing renewable energy. Existing research and technology of VAWT
designs show potential in both large and small-scale electricity production. It is expected
for the project to produce a usable product that generates electricity for a wide variety of
applications. Small scale wind turbine systems will eventually see widespread adoption
in areas where clean, accessible, and cost-effective electricity is desired.
Drawbacks:
Like all renewable energy projects, this project is vulnerable to monetary budget
constraints. The profitability of creating a new turbine platform for consumers is likely
very limited. Incentives from utility companies as well as federal, state, and local
government play a huge role in the adoption of renewable energy technologies. Many
federal and state incentives for wind turbines have expired or are being phased out this
year (N.C. Clean Energy 2017). Photovoltaic solar panels and hydrogen fuel cell
technologies have the potential to be very competitive with wind power if the costs of
implementation become mitigated. This can happen through financial incentives and/or
technological breakthroughs in material science and efficiency improvements.
Conclusions and Recommendations:
Wind energy is merely a small part of the whole solution. The whole solution will entail
various sources of energy to power human society. Investments into perfecting existing
solutions such as wind, solar, and hydro power technologies is the best approach
currently available. Supporting this project will contribute, however small, towards ideal
solutions in addressing the problem presented in this document. Creating a power
generating system is very complex and tedious. There are many components to design,
build and test. Getting them to all operate as intended with any significant efficiency
may become an issue. Wind turbines require an understanding of both mechanical and
electrical engineering. Any project like this would ideally be staffed with project
members with experience in either of those fields.
Introductory Overview
Problem statement:
As global energy demand increases, the world needs to find ways to supplement and
eventually replace finite energy sources with renewable energy sources. Modern
economies of industrialized nations rely heavily on easy access to large amounts of
electricity and other forms of energy. Access to sustainable and renewable energy
sources provides a stable base for long-term economic growth for individuals,
companies, and nations. Finding and utilizing sustainable and renewable energy
sources on such a large scale remains an ongoing problem with our society.
Proposed solution:

Anticipated outcome:
It is expected for the project to produce a usable product that generates electricity.
Given the budgetary and time constraints, the efficiency of the system should be rather
low and the VAWT is not expected to be ready for the open market. It will be a unique
system with lots of potential for improvements. The system will be modular in design
and construction that will allow reusability of components for future projects. Small scale
wind turbine systems will eventually see widespread adoption in areas where clean,
accessible, and cost-effective electricity is desired.
Problem Statement
As global energy demand increases, the world needs to find ways to supplement and
eventually replace finite energy sources with renewable energy sources. Modern
economies of industrialized nations rely heavily on easy access to large amounts of
electricity and other forms of energy. Access to sustainable and renewable energy
sources provides a stable base for long-term economic growth for individuals,
companies, and nations. Finding and utilizing sustainable and renewable energy
sources on such a large scale remains an ongoing problem with our society.
Problem Background
What is the Nature of the Problem?
The United States and the world rely primarily on fossil fuel sources to produce energy,
as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 from the United States Energy Information
Administration below (EIA, 2017h; EIA, 2017i). There are no practical methods of
replicating these complex chemicals making this a limited source for producing energy.
Second, global energy production is dependent on a finite supply of fossil-fuels that
generate a significant amount of byproducts and pollutants. The energy industry has
found ways to minimize, mitigate, and repurpose many of the byproducts and pollutants
created through the combustion of fossil fuels (World Coal Association, 2017). The
byproduct that has been the most controversial in relation to the environment is carbon
dioxide (CO2). This compound has been credited as a primary contributor to global
climate change. Nuclear power relies on uranium which is another source of energy with
limited supply, creating spent fuel rods that must be stored indefinitely as radioactive
waste.
Figure 1: U.S.A.'s Energy Sources Organized by Type

Figure 2: USA's Energy Sources Organized by Consumption Type

The creation of the International Energy Agency (IEA) was in direct response to the
problem identified here. The mission of the IEA is: “…to ensure reliable, affordable and
clean energy for its 29 member countries and beyond. Our mission is guided by four
main areas of focus: energy security, economic development, environmental awareness
and engagement worldwide” (International Energy Agency, 2017b). “The IEA believes
that the world needs a clean energy revolution in order to break dependence on fossil
fuels. Such a revolution would enhance global energy security, promote enduring
economic growth and tackle environmental challenges such as climate change. It would
break the long-standing link between economic growth and carbon dioxide (CO2)
emissions. But to succeed, it must also be truly global in scope” (International Energy
Agency, 2017a).
There is no proven long-term solution for energy once global reserves of non-renewable
energy sources are depleted. There is a need to figure out how to meet future energy
demands with clean and renewable energy sources. This would maintain the habitability
of our environment as well as the prosperity of existing governments and economies.
Can the Problem be Solved?
This problem can be solved, but it will require a lot of time and ingenuity. Even though
many solutions have been proposed, none are viable to implement tomorrow or even
next year. Current technology simply does not exist to completely replace the global
supply and demand of energy through fossil fuels (Bryce, 2011). Human civilization has
been harnessing clean and renewable energy for ages, but only recently have we been
able to develop it to significantly contribute to our overall energy usage. There are many
obstacles human society will have to overcome in order to tackle this issue.
Governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) will need to continue to
support and invest in creating technologies and strategies to solve this problem.
What are the Short-Term Effects of the Problem?
There is no shortage of fossil fuels, and energy prices are relatively low and stable (EIA,
2017a). Clean and renewable energy sources, such as hydrogen, wind, and solar, are
much more expensive to produce energy from (Bryce, 2011). The low price and large
supplies of fossil fuels has stymied development and deployment of more expensive
energy platforms that use renewable sources.
The significant increases in concentrations of greenhouse gases, including CO2, over

the last 100 years is correlated to increased average surface temperatures on Earth.
These gases have been attributed to the phenomena and concept known as climate
change (EIA 2017d). We are just now seeing some of the minor effects climate change
has imparted on the planet including rising sea levels. A significant portion of the carbon
dioxide emissions can be traced to humans’ energy production as seen in Table 1
below (EIA, 2017i).
Table 1: Total Energy-Related CO2 Emissions from the United States

Energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by source and sector for the United States, 2016 (million metric tons)
Residential Commercial Industrial Transportation Electric power Source total
Coal 0 2 110 0 1,241 1,354
Natural gas 241 172 487 39 546 1,485
Petroleum 66 61 331 1,840 21 2,320
Other1 12 12
Electricity2 690 667 459 4
Sector total 998 902 1,388 1,883 1,821 5,171

1 Emissions from combustion of waste materials derived from petroleum and from some types of geothermal power
plants.
2 Electricity-related CO2 emissions based on electricity use for each sector and electric power emissions.
Sum of data in columns and rows may not equal the totals because of independent rounding.
Source: Monthly Energy Review, April 2017, preliminary data
What are the Long-Term Effects of the Problem?
The future becomes more uncertain the farther into the future one tries to predict. One
can only guess the kind of consequences this problem will have in the future if left
unsolved. Looking out past 50 and 100 years from now is where major effects of this
problem can be seen. Continually releasing large amounts of greenhouse gases into the
atmosphere beyond the balance that this planet’s history has experienced will likely
cause a radical change in the composition of the atmosphere and have a large effect on
the landmasses and oceans below it. Climates in different regions of the planet would
experience major changes to the temperature, rainfall, and ecosystems. Human society
will have to adjust accordingly.
As energy supplies from fossil fuels and uranium sources become depleted, nations will
seek alternative sources to meet energy demands or risk losing its economy and
industrial capacity. Without the ability to create electricity and energy from other
sources, nations may decide to engage in wars over scarce resources. Human society
is likely to continue to exist far into the future with an ever increasing population. Along
with the growing population comes an ever growing demand for energy and electricity.
Demand for energy will far outstrip the limited supply of energy non-renewable sources
can provide long-term. Without solutions to this problem, this planet will likely see limits
to the size of the human population it can support. Food, clean water, and reliable
shelter will become limited by the amount of energy humans can produce to provide
those elements essential to human survival.
When Did the Problem Develop?
Humanity’s reliance on electricity and fossil fuels spawned with the industrial revolutions
of Europe and the United States. The 1800s saw the development of steam engines
and the transition to coal as the energy source to power them. Internal combustion
engines came next and capitalized on the previously useless petroleum. The twentieth
century saw global expansion of industrialization and trade at exponential levels.
Electronics were invented, and then global energy demand and production spiked.
What Caused the Problem?
Humans are the root cause of the problem (EIA, 2017d). Peoples’ eagerness and
passion to accomplish great things lead everyone down this inevitable path. The
development of bigger tools to build even bigger projects contributes to this problem.
Humanities reliance on electricity and faster transportation to improve society has made
humans dependent on massive amounts of electricity and power to maintain what is
already built. Inventions and solutions to other problems in human society, such as
food, water, shelter, comfort, and entertainment, relied on the generation of power in
some form or another. Nuclear power is seen as cleaner since it has no direct carbon
emissions. However it does produce radioactive waste. See Figure 3 for a visual
representation of the life-cycle of Nuclear Fuel (EIA, 2017e).
Figure 3: General Life Cycle for Nuclear Fuel (Uranium-235)

How Long has the Problem Existed?
This problem has existed for more than a century, before we realized the existence of
this serious problem. Ever since the industrialization of human societies, human
consumption of fossil fuels and other energy sources have continued to grow. Human
civilization has harnessed energy in order to build and maintain nearly everything in our
society. Energy is relied on for mobility in transporting people and goods across cities
and nations. Electricity powers industries, homes, computers, phones, and even trains.
Electricity helps regulate conditions in diverse environments, and humanity has come to
rely on this kind of power to support prosperous economies and societies. Although this
problem was trivial a century ago, human energy consumption continually increases
while supplies of fossil fuels remain finite.
How Severe is the Problem?
Although the problem is not as severe as some would have everyone believe, the
problem is still inevitably needs to be addressed. The United States Energy Information
Administration (EIA) estimates the global supply of crude oil and other hydrocarbons to
last through 2050 along with a 28% increase in global energy consumption by 2040
(EIA, 2017a; EIA, 2017g). Those predictions include the assumption that renewable
energy sources will make significant growth in the energy market through that time
period. The problems of limited fossil fuels and environmental effects of using fossil
fuels are not currently severe. However, these will eventually become serious problems,
given the forecasted energy demands and population increases (EIA, 2017b). There are
many decades left to figure out solutions to this problem.
Where Does the Problem Occur?
This problem affects everyone and occurs everywhere. As more and more nations
move to industrialize and modernize their societies, demand for energy continues to
accelerate. As more nations build up their electrical and industrial infrastructure, each
nation must figure out where their energy is coming from and how long they can rely on
that source. Even oil-rich nations like Iran and Saudi Arabia seek alternative and
sustainable sources of energy to plan for long-term stability and prosperity. Every place
where people have come to rely on electricity for their way of living contributes to and
must eventually have to answer this problem.
Who is Affected by the Problem?
Everyone on this planet is affected in some way from this problem, even if it is many
years from now. Short-term and long-term effects of climate change from all the carbon
emissions generated over the last century affects this planet on a global scale
regardless of borders. People living on islands and coastal lands will be most affected
from sea-level changes. While others living in unstable ecosystems can be forced to
adapt to the local climate changes to their region.
Some of the other effects, like nations trying to build a stable energy production
infrastructure, are limited in scope. Companies can profit from nations offering
incentives to build up sustainable energy production platforms. Generating energy from
renewable sources is more decentralized than traditional non-renewable infrastructures,
so individuals can contribute to local energy grids and even generate electricity for off-
grid applications. Large scale farms can become more energy independent,
sustainable, and profitable.
How Many People are Affected by the Problem?
Currently, this problem has the most effect in developed nations like China, United
States, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Europe and Japan. These nations already produce and
consume the bulk of the energy humanity uses. However, every decade more and more
nations in Asia, Africa, the Middle-East and South America decide to industrialize and
participate in the global economy. This increases overall energy demands and
exacerbates the problem.
Who Will Benefit from the Solution?
Everyone who relies on energy production to live their life will benefit from solutions to
this problem. National governments will be eager to have a reliable strategy to address
this problem. Energy stability is strong foundation for economies and societies to
continue to grow and flourish. Having strong energy sources that are clean and
renewable will help balance the environment of the Earth, providing a more stable and
cleaner habitat for humanity to live and prosper. Companies that invest in clean and
sustainable energy sources will profit eventually, even if the rate of return is slower than
what fossil fuels provide. The sooner solutions are found, the sooner the environment
can rebalance itself. Existing energy companies invested in fossil fuels will continue to
profit as the supply of fossil fuels will last longer if energy production is supplemented by
larger amounts of clean and renewable energy sources.
Who Else is Involved in Solving the Problem?
National and international bodies such as the United States government and European
Union are actively engaged in investing in clean and renewable energy technology.
NGOs like the International Energy Agency play an active role is supporting solutions to
this problem. Scientists and engineers from across the energy industry continually seek
cost-effective strategies and technologies to help solve this problem. Existing energy
companies are already selling existing clean and sustainable energy technologies to the
national and international markets. Companies, governments, and universities are
actively seeking to improve existing technologies and develop new technologies to
address this problem.
What is Needed to Solve the Problem?
National level strategies are needed to implement sustainable energy technologies and
transition away from non-renewable energy sources. These need to address both short
and long term planning and incentives. New inventions and technology are needed to
achieve energy densities comparable to fossil fuels that societies rely on so heavily
today (Bryce, 2011). Existing clean and renewable technologies need to improve
efficiencies and reduce cost in order to speed up deployment. Nations will need to
invest in the infrastructure of energy production that is flexible enough to handle
whatever solutions are found to fix this problem that humanity faces.
Problem Conclusion:
Society eventually needs to figure out how to generate energy once the limited supply of
non-renewable energy sources will be depleted. There is no existing solution to this
problem yet. Progress has been made in harnessing known sources of renewable and
clean energy, but the technology has not matured enough to make any significant
impact on the energy demands of the globe. Solutions to this problem will satisfy the
balance of energy demands with environmental concerns for the planet. Having
sustainable and stable renewable energy sources to meet the growing energy demands
of this planet will propel a strong human civilization into the next century.
Idea Justification
Project Overview:

Strengths:
This project was chosen for its level of cost, simplicity, and applicability relative to other
methods of generating electricity from renewable sources. Wind turbine technologies
are mature with a wealth of references on how to design, build, and connect the
necessary components. This project will build on existing wind turbine designs and
create the electrical components needed to generate clean electricity.
There are many existing solutions to generate electricity from renewable energy
sources. They all require a high initial investment of capital. One can purchase wind
turbine kits from Amazon from $200 to well over $1,000. In order to connect the energy
generated from the turbine to the local grid a high quality inverter is required which can
cost around $500 (Amazon, 2017a). The $1,500 price tag is still more expensive than
simply buying electricity from the local power utility but has minimal maintenance
requirements and the electricity generated over time will eventually pay for itself.
A wind turbine can be assembled using existing kits or created from existing and
relatively cheap materials. Fiberglass, wood, plastic, and metal are common in
homemade and commercial wind turbine components. The controllers, regulators, and
inverters use existing circuit board designs and technology.
Vertical axis wind turbines have fewer moving parts than conventional horizontal axis
wind turbines (Eriksson, Bernhoff, & Leijon, 2008, p.1425-1427). They also have fewer
stages of energy conversion than other forms of renewable energy. The existing
technology on generators, motors, controllers, and inverters has lowered the design
complexity of a VAWT project.
Wind turbines have the flexibility of reducing or increasing its scale in order to
accommodate energy requirements. Huge turbines can be made for wind farms, while
smaller versions can be made for individual home use.
Weaknesses:
Like all renewable energy projects, this project is vulnerable to monetary budget
constraints. This weakness would require the project manager to seek other forms of
sponsorship or non-traditional sources for materials and tools to complete this project.
The market environment can also play a role in this project. There are already many
companies marketing turbine parts and kits to consumers through online platforms like
Amazon and Ebay (Amazon, 2017b; Ebay, 2017). The profitability of creating a new
turbine platform for consumers is likely very limited.
Opportunities:
Distributed energy platforms are necessary to supplement the centralized energy

production and distribution that the U.S.’s power grid relies on. Wind turbines offer a
lower barrier of entry into the renewable energy market relative to other options like
solar, fuel cells, hydro, and geothermal sources. VAWT designs take advantage of
airflows closer to ground-level that experience more airflow disturbances (Eriksson, et
al., 2008, p.1427 section 2.1.6). Traditional horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWTs) were
designed to harness wind from higher altitudes where airflow is more consistent and at
higher speeds.
Threats:
Incentives from utility companies as well as federal, state, and local government play a
huge role in the adoption of renewable energy technologies. Many federal and state
incentives for wind turbines have expired or are being phased out this year (N.C. Clean
Energy 2017). Photovoltaic solar panels and hydrogen fuel cell technologies have the
potential to be very competitive with wind power if the costs of implementation become
mitigated. This can happen through financial incentives and/or technological
breakthroughs in material science and efficiency improvements.
Alternative Ideas:
Traditional turbines are more complex, made of more moving parts. They require higher
wind speeds that have consistent airflow (Eriksson, et al., 2008, p. 1425-1427). These
are generally found more than ten meters above the ground, requiring a tall tower
structure to mount the wind turbine. This creates potential aesthetic issues in city and
suburban environments. VAWT designs tend to have more unique and aesthetically
pleasing blade designs. See Figure 4 below for a reference of basic VAWT designs
(Eriksson, et al., 2008, Figure 1).
Figure 4: Left is a Savonius rotor, Middle is a Darrieus turbine, and right is an H-

rotor
Photovoltaic solar panels are another solution to the problem by providing electricity
directly from sunlight. However, the low efficiency of the system requires large surface
areas dedicated for the system and have a high upfront cost of purchase and
installation. A typical home installation of solar panels starts at around $16,800 before
tax incentives are applied and can take many years to pay for itself depending on the
cost of electricity in the area (Matasci, 2017).
A hybrid system involving a combination of solar panels and wind turbine(s) would be
the strongest solution as it would capitalize on both windy conditions and sunny
weather. This allows maximum electricity generation throughout the year in most every
condition. Such a combinatorial system would also make it easier to add other energy
generators to the system. This type of system is best suited for off-the-grid applications
(U.S. Dept. of Energy, 2017). Implementing this system requires a complex design and
a larger upfront cost than using just wind or solar.
Hydro-electric technologies have been around for a long time but have not seen much
growth in that industry. This is because hydro-electric dams are limited by geography
and the effects on the regional ecosystem especially downstream of the dams.
Geography is a primary limitation of geothermal power generation as well. Both
solutions require huge investment capital to construct such large structures and don’t
have practical applicability to small scale projects.
Fuel cell technology is very promising by using hydrogen and oxygen as fuel sources to
produce electricity generating only water as the byproduct. However, the systems
require very expensive materials and operate at very high temperatures ranging from 80
degrees Celsius (~175 degrees F) to 1,000 degrees Celsius (~1,800 degrees F)
(Wallace, H., 2017). Combined with gaseous fuel sources (hydrogen and oxygen), the
system has inherent safety hazards and concerns that prevent this from consideration
for a student project. A very high degree of experience and expertise would be required
for developing fuel cell power systems.
Biomass fuel is another promising solution to the problem that offers renewable fuels
that can be used directly in existing energy infrastructures. The process of breaking
down waste material to generate these fuels requires access to landfill and compost
sites. This is generally a long and time-consuming process involving many stages to
convert the energy sources into electricity and power. This solution would also entail the
undesirable process of direct handling of waste products (U.S. Department of Energy,
2017).
Project Conclusion:
designs show potential in both large and small-scale electricity production. VAWTs tend
to have a simpler design with less moving parts than traditional HAWT designs. This
allows for more efficient electricity production. This project will have less expensive
overall material costs and minimizes maintenance requirements. A VAWT project would
be simpler to design, build, and test than other potential projects of the same scope.
Cost and time are the primary limiting factors of this project. Compared to alternative
solutions to the problem, a vertical axis wind turbine is most feasible in creating a
project to generate electricity from renewable energy sources.
Assumptions
Capabilities of the Project Manager:
The project manager (PM) for this project is Troy Massagee. This student has
experience in power generation from the Electrical Power Engineering course. This
student also has experience designing, building, and testing electronic circuits from a
wide variety of projects through college courses. Building and testing the prototype
VAWT will require frequent use of diagnostic and testing tools to ensure proper
assembly and operation of the system.
Extent and Availability of Material Resources:
This project will need raw materials to create the turbine. Spools of copper wires,
magnets, electromagnets, electronic components, solder, and soldering station are
among the basic materials that will be needed. Hardware such as PVC and plywood are
easily acquired from the local hardware store with a limited budget.
The blades are expected to be made from a 3D printer available through Capitol
Technology University (CTU). The base material for the 3D print project is still being
researched for its ability to maintain its structure under stress from wind. If the material
is not able to withstand extended stress from wind, then other materials such as light
wood, plastic or sheet-metal would be available from a hardware store or online vendor.
The most expensive components will likely be the generator and inverter. Both require
high quality and efficiency in construction and operation, respectively. Although
available off-the-shelf, the cost would exceed the expected budget for this project.
Searches for the parts of these expensive components are underway. A collection of
unused electromagnetic motors is the most potential source for some of the raw
materials for this project. A couple large-capacity batteries are desired for this project
and should be available at discount prices from junkyards or other sources.
Extent and Availability of Technological Resources:
Technological resources include the desktop and laptop computers of the PM. These
will house the primary source of software needed for research and designs for the
project. Circuitmaker, Matlab, and Solidworks will be used the most during the design
phase of the project. These technological resources will determine the exact extent of
the material resources needed for the project. Matlab will also be used through the
testing phase of the project to compile and analyze the data gathered from the real-
world performance of the prototype turbine.
Extent and Availability of Logistical Resources:
As for logistical resources, the project will need a workspace to assemble and store the
various components of the VAWT system. The system will be assembled and
connected as parts and time become available through the spring semester at CTU.
Therefore, a secure storage site will need to be identified for project use. The system
and its components will also need to be portable enough to bring into CTU’s diagnostic
lab to measure the characteristics and ensure proper operation of the system. The PM
already owns some the diagnostic tools needed for the project as well as some basic
tools needed for the project. Tools needed for the project include but are not limited to
power drill, socket wrenches, screwdrivers, multi-meter, screws, nuts, bolts, straps,
safety goggles, and toolbox. All of those are already owned by the PM. A soldering
station and necessary supplies for assembling the circuit boards for the components are
needed and expected to be provided by CTU.
Extent and Availability of Financial Resources:
There are many referential sources available for this project. Reference manuals for the
components will be used as well as published documents from other projects
accomplishing the same or similar goals as this project. YouTube will also be
referenced in gathering background information, including tips and tricks, in building
specific components for this project. The project advisor, Dr. Chandra Bajracharya, will
be available from time to time to help troubleshoot issues encountered during the
project. She will also be available to evaluate the performance and progress of the
project.
Extent and Availability of Referential Resources:
Local utility companies will be researched and referenced in obtaining the controls
required to safely connect this renewable energy system to the local power grid. So far,
Colorado Springs Utilities and the U.S. Department of Energy reference IEEE standards
519 and 1547 in identifying the systems needed to safely connect renewable energy
systems to the local power grid (Colorado Springs Utilities, 2017; U.S. Department of
Energy, 2017). The IEEE 1547 standard is available online for a fee of around $100
(IEEE Standards Association, 2008). The UL 1741 standard is available online for
between $716 and $897 plus fees (Underwriters Laboratories, 2010). Budget
constraints require the PM to search for free alternative means of obtaining these
standards to reference.
Current and Projected Need for the Idea:
Currently, more research and data is needed to come to a decision on how to move
forward with the project design. The project needs to be broken down into distinctive
components which can then be designed in detail and tested on Circuitmaker or other
software. The PM needs to determine the size of the turbine to build, which has a direct
influence on the amount of materials needed for the project. From this, the PM can find
out what kind of stresses the system will need to withstand and what materials can meet
that need for the lowest cost.
Expected Receptivity of the Idea Among Those Who Will Benefit:
This project has to potential to benefit every homeowner with space available to mount
an unobtrusive vertical axis wind turbine on his/her roof or yard. This project is not
expected to offset 100% of a customer’s energy usage, but the project can be scaled up
to accommodate larger demand through multiple turbines spaced throughout one’s
property. VAWTs also enjoy advantages in proportional scalability. The same blade
designs can be scaled up in size for use in large wind farms, or scaled down for small
deployments in places like city bus stops. VAWTs have the advantage of bringing wind
energy into city and suburban environments where traditional renewable energy
sources are not able to be used.
Constraints
Limitations of the Project Manager:
The PM is limited by experience. This student has not built a system like this ever
before. Simulations and calculations do not fully prepare one to build a turbine from
scratch. The location of the PM has an influence on the progression of it. The PM is
currently living in Colorado Springs, CO. This limits how much the PM can accomplish
before relocating to northern Virginia for the spring semester to complete this project
and other courses at CTU.
Barriers to Completion of the Project:
Financial budgeting is the biggest limiting factor of the project. The PM must seek some
sort of financial aid for this project to help catalyze the completion of this wind turbine
project. Already having some the tools and material resources needed for the project
will help mitigate this issue. Time is the second most important constraint of this project.
This project needs to be complete before the end of the spring semester of 2018 at
CTU. The PM’s anticipated graduation is at that time. The PM needs to be able to
balance the load of courses with the completion of this senior project.
Barriers to Large-Scale Implementation of the Idea:
Other possible constraints of the project might be a limitation of applicable test sites for
the wind turbine in and around CTU’s main campus. Other off-site locations may need
to be identified. Limits on availability of certain materials such as copper and rare earth
magnets may affect the size of the turbine design. The availability in the budget for
spare parts can limit completion of the project. The turbine may suffer partial or
catastrophic failure if subject to stresses outside of its design parameters. This would
require repairing and/or rebuilding of the turbine.
If this project is carried out successfully, the only major barrier to large-scale
implementation of this idea is investment capital. A large amount of investment capital
would be necessary to manufacture the components on a scale that is profitable. Cheap
components limit or reduce efficiencies. Those kinds of inefficiencies could make
practical implementation of the idea not feasible. If this were to be commercialized, high
quality materials and components would be needed to make a strong base of support
for this platform.
Other Constraints:
Other possible constraints would be limited access and availability of key material
resources for the project. Turbine blades ideally are made of strong lightweight
materials that are resistant to structural fatigue, warping, and physical stresses. Carbon-
fiber is currently the best option for wind turbine blades and other components.
However, that is still a very expensive material to use. Alternatives that are more cost
efficient include PVC, balsa wood, various plastics, and aluminum. The project’s
monetary and time budget are the key factors that will constrain the construction
materials used for this project.
Conclusion of Assumptions and Constraints:
The project manager for this prototype vertical axis wind turbine project has some of the
experience needed to successfully build this project. The PM needs to identify the
specific materials needed for the project and then find the most economical sources for
those materials. The project is constrained by money and time in completing this
project. The factors limiting the completion of this project can and will be mitigated to
ensure success.
Literature/Technology/Professional Environment Overview

Item 1: Results of Technology Review
Silva, G. (n.d.). Vertical axis wind turbine development. Portugal: Tecnico Lisboa
[University]. Retrieved from
https://fenix.tecnico.ulisboa.pt/downloadFile/395143097660/Extended%20abstra
ct.pdf
Summary:
This article documents Guilherme’s research and experiments with a custom-made

Giromill-type (a.k.a. H-rotor) vertical axis wind turbine.
Key Ideas & Information:
The researcher presented the key equations needed to understand and calculate power
output and efficiencies of wind turbines. He presents simulations that model the fluid
behavior of air and how they interact with a turbine to generate lift and torque. The
custom-made VAWT prototype was successfully tested in multiple configurations and
provided real-world data to compare with expected results from simulations.
Analysis of Key Ideas & Information:
Guilherme’s simulations proved relatively accurate in predicting the behavior and power
output. The tip speed ratio (λ - lambda) and power coefficient (Cp) are the key variables
that define a turbine’s performance. The testing also revealed the need for high
resolution sensors in the absence of a controlled environment such as a wind tunnel.
Learnings & Insights:
Optimizing lambda and Cp is necessary to increase the efficiency of the wind turbine
design. The design phase will also need to incorporate a separate component
containing all the necessary sensors and infrastructure to log the data.
How Information Will Be Used:
The main ideas from this wind turbine project will be carried into the design phase of
this wind turbine project.

Shuqin, L. (2011, July 5). Magnetic suspension and self-pitch for vertical-axis wind
turbines. In R. Carriveau (Ed.). Fundamental and Advanced Topics in Wind
Power (pp. 233-248). Shanghai, China: InTech. Retrieved from
https://www.intechopen.com/books/fundamental-and-advanced-topics-in-wind-
power
Summary:
This chapter presents convincing data on how passive self-pitch turbine blades and
magnetic suspension bearings significantly improve the efficiency and power output of
VAWTs.
The author presents several methods to implement magnetic suspension of rotating

parts using permanent and/or electro-magnets. The intended application is for vertical
axis wind turbines (VAWTs). The other design optimization is with passive self-adjusting
pitch turbine blades. Data gathered from the implementation of both designs onto a
Giromill-type turbine shows significant improvement in turbine speeds and power
generation. The materials used also reduce complexity and cost of a VAWT.
These design concepts are intended to improve the efficiency of vertical axis wind
turbines, while reducing cost and complexity. The cost of permanent magnets may
increase the material cost of the project, but electromagnets will require an additional
power source attached to the system. Implementation of one or both concepts should
increase the power coefficient (Cp) and therefore the efficiency of the system
Progress in research and designs of vertical axis wind turbines has increased
significantly over the last decade.
These design concepts will be incorporated into the design phase of the project. The
rest of the book this chapter came from will be useful for the project as well.
Eriksson, S., Bernhoff, H., & Leijon M. (2008). Evaluation of different turbine concepts
for wind power. ScienceDirect: Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 12,
1419-1434. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2006.05.017
Summary:
This article reviews and compares three different wind turbine designs including two
VAWT designs and one traditional HAWT design.
The authors present the advantages and disadvantages of each turbine design. The
performance of the three designs shows the H-rotor design as the most cost-efficient
and simplest in design.
This article studied large-scale wind turbines intended for implementation on wind
farms. The focus of the review is biased towards that end but can still be applied to
small scale projects. Reviews of construction, design complexity, stability, and
performance reveal the potential for vertical axis wind turbines. Even with reduced
overall power output, VAWTs have advantages in efficiency, construction costs,
maintenance costs, design simplicity, and noise generation.
VAWTs have potential to be used in both small scale and large scale applications. Even
though an individual VAWT has less power output than a single HAWT, multiple VAWTs
can be deployed in parallel from the reduction in construction and maintenance costs.
The information from this article will help influence the design of the wind turbine for the
project. It also helps with the justification of the project.
Item 4: Results of Professional Environment Review
Mueller, S., Vithayasrichareon, P., Chandler, H., & Emanuele, B. (2017, March). Getting
wind and sun onto the grid: A manual for policy makers. France: International
Energy Agency. Retrieved from
https://www.iea.org/publications/insights/insightpublications/Getting_Wind_and_S
un.pdf
Summary:
This publication offers insight on the current state of renewable energy adoption in the
world and provides policy recommendations to increase the use of clean/renewable
energy sources.

This guide addresses misconceptions about variable renewable energy (VRE). VRE
sources are essentially wind and solar generators. Integration of VRE sources into a
national power grid is broken down into four phases. The phases address initial
integration of wind and solar generators into the system followed by growth, flexibility,
and stability of the national power grid.
The information is presented in a way that is understandable for policy makers. It helps
to address large-scale implementation of renewable energy sources into a power grid
and highlights important factors to consider.
There are national and international bodies that are encouraging the growth of
renewable energy sources. Solar, wind, and water generators are essential for securing
the future energy demands of the planet.
The information from this publication will be used in considering the political, social, and
environmental effects of the project. Data in the guide will also help the justification of
the project.
Item 5: Results of Professional Environment Review
René, K. (2012, Sep 5). Ch. 4: Metal requirements of low-carbon power generation. In
Materials and Energy: A Story of Linkages. Department of Industrial Ecology,
Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML), Faculty of Science, Leiden University.
Retrieved from
https://openaccess.leidenuniv.nl/bitstream/handle/1887/19740/04.pdf?sequence=
27
Summary:
This chapter of the book discusses the direct and indirect impacts of transitioning the
world’s electricity infrastructure into renewable sources such as solar, hydro, and wind
farms with the main focus on carbon dioxide emission.
The author analyzes the key materials needed in a life cycle assessment (LCA) for the
infrastructure of different energy technologies as well as the net carbon dioxide
emissions from using them. These include existing infrastructures of coal, naturals gas,
oil, and nuclear. Analysis is also made on renewable technologies, including solar and
wind farms. The analysis includes the amount of minerals and metals that need to be
mined from the earth.
Implementing carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies for fossil fuels requires a
substantial increase in production of iron and nickel for net CO2 emissions comparable
to renewable sources (biomass, wind, and solar). However, plans for removing fossil
fuels and relying primarily on nuclear and renewable sources requires more than double
the amount of metals needed (zinc, copper, aluminum, nickel, and iron) compared to
CCS technologies.
Regarding CO2 emissions, it would be more cost effective to focus on reducing carbon
output from fossil fuels for the short term. In the long-term, having renewable energy
sources once sources of fossil fuels deplete is a high priority. This would require
extensive investments in mining and refining the minerals needed to capitalize on
renewable energy sources.
The information from this author will be used in considering the political, social, and
environmental effects of the project.
Item 6: Results of Literature Review
Lyman, R. (2017, May). Why renewable energy cannot replace fossil fuels by 2050.
Retrieved from https://www.friendsofscience.org/assets/documents/Renewable-
energy-cannot-replace-FF_Lyman.pdf
Summary:
This article compares various forms of energy generation technologies and points out
the limits that current renewable energy technologies face.
This article argues against the feasibility of leveraging renewable energy sources (solar,
wind, and hydro) to replace fossil fuel sources (petroleum, coal, and natural gas). The
arguments and analysis present key factors limiting widespread adoption of renewable
energy sources. These main factors are cost, efficiency, and land-usage.

This article does not present any solutions to the global problem of fossil fuel usage nor
the adoption of renewable energy into the energy infrastructure. However, it does point
out several factors limiting the current technologies in renewable energy. Efficiency and
land-usage goes hand-in-hand. Current efficiencies in harnessing wind and solar panel
requires huge tracts of land and ocean space to make any significant contribution to
electric grid capacity in the United States. The expensive costs of manufacturing and
maintaining the equipment over the lifetime of the product prevents financial feasibility
of renewable electricity generation.
Wind and solar technology is still a long way off from replacing the global dependence
on fossil fuels. Small and gradual progress has to be made to improve the cost and
efficiency of renewable energy technologies.
This article helps to focus the objective of this project in creating a small scale wind
turbine for individual use.
Item 7: Results of Literature Review
DeCoste, J., McKay, D., Robinson, B., Whitehead, S., & Wright, S. (2005, Dec 5).
MECH 4010 design project: Vertical axis wind turbine. Nova Scotia, Canada:
Dalhousie University. Retrieved from
http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.452.6381&rep=rep1&ty
pe=pdf
Summary: This article chronicles the academic wind turbine project of a group of
university students who build and test a vertical axis wind turbine from scratch.
The article presents the design, simulations, and construction of the wind turbine. The
project to this point did not reach the testing phase, and the turbine was not fully
assembled at the publication of this article. The preliminary budget for the project was
set at $4,000-$5,000 (CAD) with about half of that financed through sponsors and the
university’s mechanical engineering department. The bulk of the cost came from using
the campus machine shop to create the mechanical components of the turbine including
the bearings, shaft, platform, and blades.
This article shows many of the materials needed for the mechanical construction of a
vertical axis wind turbine and how much they were expected to cost. The design and
simulation phase narrowed down the type of blade design the students would build for
the actual turbine. The turbine blade and shaft were designed using aluminum material,
which had a major impact on the cost of the project.
This is a detailed group project that illuminates the costs and materials needed for a
similar project. This project focuses on the mechanical engineering aspect of the wind
turbine and is helpful for those with limited experience in this field of engineering.
The information will help determine the budget and material resources needed for this
project. This article will also influence the design phase of the project.
Conclusion:
Researching the literature, technology and professional environment of an idea is very

helpful for project development. The sources and information helps inform the project
manager on how to carry out a project. The research helps establish background
information, justification, planning, and design considerations for the proposed VAWT
project. Previous work and research on similar concepts will be leveraged to increase
the chance of success of the project.
Design Specifications
Design Overview:
The tentative prototype VAWT design can be seen in Figures 5 and 6 below. The total
height of the system will not exceed 4 meters. This ensures viability to install the system
on someone’s property or roof. It also allows for portability of the system during the
assembly and testing phases of the project.
Turbine
Arms
Sensor Turbine Blades

Array (3 blades)
Upper Shaft
Generator
Lower Shaft
Battery Bank
Controller 3-Phase, 120V,

Inverter 60Hz AC output
power
Braking System
Platform
Figure 5: Diagram Layout of Wind Turbine Components

Sensor Array
(anemometer, wind vane,
thermometer, ammeter,
potentiometer, and a
3-Phase Generator rotational speed sensor)
Controller Component
Braking System
Artificial Load
Controller Logic
+
+
-
- Inverter Circuit
AC-DC Converter DC Filter
(DC-AC Converter)
[1-Phase, 120 V, 60Hz]
+
Charge
Controller
Circuit -
Battery Bank
Figure 6: Diagram of Electrical Components
Overview of Real World Usage:
The end-goal of this project is to build a working vertical axis wind turbine that could be
installed in an individual’s backyard or roof. Once properly installed and inspected steps
can be made to connect the turbine to the local power grid. Alternatively, the system
can be connected to an off-grid power system to charge battery storage and/or power
small appliances.
Either setup would offset costs of electricity and promote energy independence.
Connected to the local power grid, the electricity would be sold back to the utility
company to offset electricity costs, reducing ones utility bill. Excess electricity would be
redistributed through the local power grid and reduce fossil fuel usage for electricity.
Adding a dozen turbines would have minimal effect on fossil fuel usage and carbon
emissions, but this project is intended for mass implementation at small scales. The
International Energy Agency explains how a distributed implementation of variable
power generators such as wind turbines helps to stabilize the power grid (Mueller,
Vithayasrichareon, Chandler, & Emanuele, 2017, p.25-46).
Major Design Features:
The turbine design is based on the H-rotor concept, relying on the lift force generated
from aerodynamic blades to turn the shaft and generate electricity. Research has shown
efficiencies in using the NACA 0018 airfoil design for the turbine blades (DeCoste, et al.,
2005). The turbine blades will be attached to allow passive self-adjustment of their pitch
which will maintain optimal airflow through them. This increases efficiency and lowers
the minimum start-up wind speed for the turbine design (Shuqin, 2011).
The electrical systems will be primarily made from individual parts and components. The
major systems are the generator, sensor array, braking system, controller, inverter, and
battery bank. The upper shaft of the turbine houses the generator, converting the
mechanical energy into electricity. Sensor array collects all the essential data to monitor
the performance and power output of the system as well as collect data on
environmental variables such as wind speed and air temperature. The braking system
reduces the rotational speed of the upper turbine shaft if wind speeds exceed operating
limits of the turbine design. The controller is the “brain” of the system. It logs the data
collected from the sensor array, converts the generator output from alternating current
(AC) to direct current (DC) electricity, determines when to apply the braking system,
houses the charge controller to regulate power to the battery bank, and outputs the DC
power to the inverter. The inverter will convert the DC power into AC power at 120V and
60Hz. This is the standard for home grid connections. The battery bank is the back-up
power supply to power the controller logic and inverter when the turbine is inactive.
Description of Design Components:
 Turbine Blades:
The length of the blades determines how much of the wind is captured for use. The
specifications limit the blade length to a maximum of 3.5 meters to accommodate
portability and space constraints.
 Turbine Shaft:
The upper shaft will contain the nexus where the blade arms meet to apply the
rotational energy derived from the turbine blades. The joints should be reinforced to
prevent stress and fatigue failures. The upper shaft will be mounted to the generator
with long-life, low-friction ball bearings to allow for easy rotation. The generator will
convert the mechanical energy into electricity and flow down through the stationary
lower shaft. The lower shaft will be strong enough to support the weight of the turbine
blades, arms, and generator.
 Generator:
The generator will be an asynchronous induction generator. This will produce 3-phase
AC power at variable frequencies, relative to the fluctuating wind speeds of the
environment. Research shows AC generators are more efficient in wind turbine usage
than DC generators (Muller, et. al., 2002).
 Sensor Array:
The sensor array will be mounted to various locations on the turbine platform and shaft.
Sensors include an anemometer, wind vane, thermometer, ammeter, potentiometer,
and a rotational speed sensor. Collections of these data points are critical for the testing
phase of this project.
 Braking System:
An electromagnetic braking system will be implemented as the feedback control system
operated by the controller. Using variable resistors, switches, and heat sinks, the
braking system can inject an artificial load onto the system to regulate the speed of the
turbine. This prevents the turbine from overloading the generator and controller circuitry.
 Controller:
The controller is the brain of the prototype VAWT. It takes inputs from the generator and
sensor array. The controller is centralized around a programmable microcontroller to
regulate power flow and log sensor inputs from the sensor array. Programmable logic
will control the behavior of the braking system when the environment produces
excessive wind speeds. It will monitor the voltage generated in order to infer the
rotational speed of the turbine. A portion of the circuits will convert the variable
frequency AC power input into a clean direct current (DC) power output, using rectifiers
and filters. The DC power will output to the inverter and charge controller components.
The charge controller is a circuit that regulates power to the battery bank component.
 Inverter:
The inverter converts the DC power into single-phase AC power at 120 Volts and 60Hz.
The amperage will fluctuate based on the load of the grid it is connected to and power
from the generator. It includes the filters and fault protection essential for safe
connection to the local power grid. The local utility company dictates how and when a
safe connection to the power grid can be made. Until that is negotiated, the backup load
is the battery bank.
 Battery Bank:
This component is an array of at least one large-capacity battery. This battery will be
used to power the controller component. It also operates as a backup power source for
the inverter during times of minimal or zero wind speeds.
Description of Usage:
Commercial components applicable for real-world wind turbine applications meet IP67
specifications. This guarantees operation in windy, stormy, and dusty environments.
Housings for each component and interconnections between them need to be built to
meet similar specifications.
This prototype will not likely be commercialized, since there are limitations to the
complexity of this project. Successful iterations can build on the foundations of this
project with more complex and efficient components. Increasing the efficiency and cost
effectiveness of this prototype VAWT will make this design more commercially viable.
Conclusion:
In summary, this project design is constrained by time and monetary limits. This limits
the quality of materials and man-hours available for this project. There are many
mechanical and electronic aspects that are required to create a fully working vertical
axis wind turbine prototype. This project uses existing wind turbine projects and
technologies as a baseline for the design of this project. This helps accelerate the
design process and increases the chance of success for this project.
Considerations and Resolutions of Environmental, Safety, Ethical,

Social and Political Issues
This project is looking to supplement the existing electrical grid infrastructure with small
scale vertical axis wind turbines. This allows use of the existing electrical distribution
network for large scale implementation of this project. Wind turbine technology is
nowhere near as efficient as centralized large scale power plants based on fossil fuels.
However, wind turbines do have a drastically reduced carbon-footprint. The limited
power generation is offset by installing large quantities of wind turbines in decentralized
locations in a distributed grid architecture. Using wind as a direct fuel source eliminates
the need to create the infrastructure for the extraction, refining, storage, and
transportation of its fuel. Large scale implementation of wind turbines is not a perfect
solution for electricity generation. As Robert Lyman points out, the current technology
level of renewable electricity generation is still many decades away from making any
significant contribution towards national and world power generation (Lyman, 2017).
Environmental:
Supplementing the existing infrastructure with wind turbines will require significantly
increased demand for minerals and other materials. Wind turbines are generally flexible
in material requirements. However, core components require specific materials to
harness wind energy. René Kleijn articulates that large scale implementation of wind
turbines significantly increases demand for copper, aluminum, nickel, and molybdenum.
Any use of permanent magnets additionally requires neodymium (Kleijn, 2012, p.81-82).
A variety of plastics are popular for component housings and blade designs. This will
strain the existing supply chain for those minerals and materials. The overall cost of
wind turbines will increase from the resulting elevated prices for the base minerals.
Long-term costs can be reduced by early investments from governments and
corporations to expand mining operations for the necessary minerals. Increased mining
does have adverse impacts on the local ecosystem and generates more CO2
production. However, the tradeoffs will be worth it. The increased power generation
from clean systems like wind turbines will eventually reduce net CO2 output from the
world’s power grids (Kleijn, 2012).
Landfills will likely fill faster as parts wear out and break. Governments and recycling
facilities should invest in recycling programs to repurpose or reuse parts that are thrown
away. Manufacturing companies should design components and systems with
extended product life cycles will help mitigate this impact. It will also minimize
maintenance costs which will have to be paid for by the individual consumers.
Incorporating recyclability into the turbine designs will help prevent parts from reaching
landfills in the first place.
Safety:
Electricity is dangerous. Improper installation and/or use of electricity can kill people,
cause fires, and burnout equipment. Within the United States, state and private utility
services require certain safety steps before anyone can upload electricity into the local
grid (Colorado Springs Utilities, 2017). These include proper grounding and installation
guidelines. Common sense dictates that turbines need to be outdoors, exposed to the
elements of nature. Therefore the component housings must be weatherized to operate
in extreme environments of wind, rain, dust, and extreme temperature exposure. Hardy
housings help protect the system from short circuits and overloading conditions in bad
weather.
The power grid will become more complex as more power generating sources are
added to the system. Many sites will generate and consume electricity, often at the
same time. Power utility companies will need to invest in the proper monitoring and
control systems to regulate the variable energy generated from dispersed wind turbines.
Emergency shut-off/disconnect procedures need to be established in disaster-type
circumstances such as hurricanes and earthquakes. The Institute of Electrical and
Electronic Engineers publishes an array of standards for safe operation of electrical
equipment (U.S. Dept. of Energy, 2017).
More complex circuitry is needed at every wind turbine site to ensure safe power
generation and prevent overloads to each system. Overloads can damage any or all the
equipment connected to the power lines. Federal, state, and local governments already
establish safety guidelines and regulations for the electrical grid. Consumers with wind
turbines must ensure proper adherence to those regulations and guidelines. They must
be followed by all parties including utility companies. This is especially important in
areas that experience periodic brownouts and/or blackouts.
Ethical:
Installation of wind turbines can affect the aesthetic of a landscape. This factor
becomes especially important in urban and suburban regions. Wind turbines require
permanent access to land and/or roofs. Aesthetic factors and physical factors limit the
size of wind turbine people can install. Individuals cannot install turbines on someone
else’s property without express permission. This extends to both homeowners as well
as utility companies. It is likely that people or organizations desiring to use someone’s
property to generate electricity with wind turbines will have to pay a percentage of the
profits or access to the electric resource. Federal, state, and local governments have
the option to charge taxes and/or leases on land dedicated for wind power generation.
Alternatively governments can offer easements and other incentives to expand
implementation of such technology. Individuals with large tracts of land desirable for
wind turbines may lease the land to utility companies that are able to invest the required
capital to construct wind farms.
Offshore wind turbines can have ethical implications for nearby coasts and islands.
They can impact the local wildlife and ecosystem as well as limit nearby boat traffic.
Those issues must be incorporated in the design and construction of those off-site wind
turbine locations.
Social:
As with almost all renewable energy technologies, wind turbines require a relatively high
investment capital to implement. It’s always cheaper to simply use the existing
infrastructure to use existing supplies of electricity. Adding to the local grid’s electrical
power supply requires an upfront cost in meeting government regulations, construction,
and installation of wind turbines. This limits the participation in the industry to
companies and individuals with enough capital to pay for those costs. The payoff from
wind turbines is currently so low that it is not very profitable for individuals to create their
own wind farms to sell electricity. Corporations with a large enough pool of investment
capital are generally the only actors engaging in wind farms on a large scale. The
current costs to produce electricity from wind turbines limits its use to areas that do not
have easy access to coal and natural gas (Energy Information Administration, 2017c).
However, the trend of electricity prices is rising, allowing for future payoffs from
investing in wind turbine technology. Individuals will likely use wind power in areas that
have limited or no connection to the local power grid. Hybrid systems incorporating
wind and solar systems are the most stable for off-grid locations.
The burden for maintaining and repairing the wind turbines will shift from the power
utility companies to the individual owners of the turbines. This distributes the costs of
maintenance and repairs. This shift will open up a new market for entrepreneurs to
offer maintenance and repair services for small scale wind turbines. This will likely be
followed by new government regulations to ensure safe servicing of small scale wind
turbines.
Political:
Currently, the costs of implementing wind turbines across suburban and urban areas
outpace the expected production of electricity. America’s ample supply of oil and
natural gas make investments into this kind of project economically infeasible. National
and state governments need to adopt incentive programs to encourage continued
growth in the wind turbine industry. Energy corporations also need to invest in
researching and developing new technologies for more efficient electricity generation
across a spectrum of fuel sources. This will have positive long-term effects on the local,
regional, and world environments and ecosystems.
The International Energy Agency articulates the big picture implementation and effects
of integrating wind energy into the national power grid. Each phase of implementation
has distinct factors to consider and manage (Mueller, 2017). This publication articulates
how a distributive grid network can increase system stability in a dynamic energy
production environment. This stability will allow greater interconnections of national
power grids. International power grid networks will be more stable and less reliant on
fossil fuels. This will bring about more issues such as regulations for import and export
of electricity between and/or through nations.
Mass implementation of renewable energy such as vertical axis wind turbines will have
a significant impact on the existing infrastructure moving into the future. Individuals and
small businesses can reduce or eliminate recurring electricity costs by installing wind
turbines in effective locations. This would reduce overall sales of electricity that would
hurt the profitability of many power utility companies. This could either increase the
price of the electricity to offset the loss, or prices may fall as overall supply increases
from reduced demand. Possible outcomes would be more competition between utility
companies. Company mergers or bankruptcies may also occur.
The reduction in demand for electricity from power companies will likely be offset from
companies investing the savings into growth. Business growth means more staff,
computers, and servers. Businesses investing in this kind of growth would see the
saving reinvested into more energy-demanding services. The power companies will still
see stable and/or growing demand for electricity.
Beyond Earth:
Advances in renewable energy such as wind turbines and solar panels benefit humans
beyond the scope of planet Earth. Mature wind and solar technologies will help future
colonization of other planets. Whether they are within this solar system or orbiting
another star, colonies on other planets will rely on technology that does not need an
extensive infrastructure to generate usable electricity. Wind turbines can provide that
electricity to power the colony until a more permanent infrastructure is able to be built.
Conclusion:
Widespread adoption of wind turbine technology will not happen all at once. Integration
of wind turbines into the local and national power grids are dispersed over time and
distance. This allows for slow and gradual returns from wind turbine investments. It also
gives societies time to properly evaluate and respond to issues created from wind
turbine adoption. Applications of wind turbine technology can benefit everyone on the
planet both directly and indirectly. Responsible use and development of the technology
is required to mitigate potential drawbacks and issues. This project has continued
potential applications beyond local, national and international concerns far into the
future.
Generation and Sustainability Analysis

Product Assessment Strategies:

The stakeholders have a vested interest in creating a cost-effective and efficient

product. This would enable the project to scale into existing wind turbine markets. The
cost of man-hours needed for research, design, and construction will be assumed by
the Project Manager (PM). Responsibility for troubleshooting and fixing any failing
component is to be taken on by the PM. There is an assumption of minimal
maintenance costs if the system is properly stored when not in use. Replacement parts
are limited by the project budget. Since wind turbines generate electricity from airflow,
there are zero fuel costs to operate the system. Successive wind turbine projects can
also minimize material and financial costs by reusing the system and/or its components.
A modular design of the system components will allow for future tinkering and
improvements to the system. With the PM’s limited experience in creating power
generation systems from scratch, it is not expected for the project to produce a very
efficient wind turbine system.
The assessment strategy that this project will focus on is creating a proof-of-concept
prototype vertical axis wind turbine. Efficiency is not as important as successfully
working as intended. The first task is to design and create a functioning mechanical
system to harness wind energy and convert it into mechanical energy (rotation of the
turbine). The minimum efficiency of 10 percent from existing designs is the goal of this
project (DeCoste, 2005, p. 8). The next task is to convert the mechanical energy into
usable electrical energy. This is accomplished through a generator. That electrical
energy will need to be filtered and regulated. The AC-DC component and controller
circuit will handle that task. The system will need to generate 120 Volt Alternating
Current (VAC) at 60 Hertz through the use of an inverter component. Otherwise, 12 Volt
Direct Current (VDC) or 24 VDC sent through a charge controller would be suitable for
charging batteries for off-grid applications. If the product can accomplish each of these
tasks, the project will be successful, regardless of the efficiency or wattage generated
by the system.
However, sensor data still needs to be gathered to identify where any failures may
occur. The sensor data will also help establish baseline efficiency and performance
metrics for similar projects to meet and exceed. Efficiency will be used to measure more
of how successful the project will be, as opposed to determining the success or failure
of the product.
This project has minimal short-term benefits to the stakeholders. However, future
improvements on this project can benefit the mobile and/or small scale electricity
generation market. It will promote energy independence for clean electricity generation
and off-grid applications. Users can generate electricity to offset buying electricity from
utility companies. Having a basic and simplistic design to start with will allow future
iterations of this project to design components and blades with increased efficiency and
power output.
Measurement Tools and Criteria for Evaluating the Product:
Visual observation of the mechanical components will determine if the system is able to
successfully convert wind into mechanical energy through the rotation of the turbine
blades. How much of that mechanical power generated will be measured through the
sensor array designed into the VAWT system. Electric multimeters strategically placed
between each system component will determine if each component is working correctly.
How successful the project is will be determined by the measured efficiency of the
product. The sensor array designed into the system will help measure all the necessary
metrics to gauge project success. An anemometer and wind vane will measure wind
speed and direction, respectively. A rotational speed sensor will be placed in the hub to
measure how fast the turbine is rotating and can be used to infer the mechanical power
generated from the wind. Potentiometers and ammeters placed in strategic locations
between electrical components will measure the voltage and current flowing through the
system. This will help determine electrical power generated by the system and identify
losses between key components. All this sensor data will be logged and compiled on a
laptop to organize the information.
A previous wind turbine project shows that various turbine designs range in efficiencies
from 10% to 20% (DeCoste, 2005, p. 8). The current wind turbine project will be
determined successful if the wind turbine is able to meet the primary objectives outlined
at the beginning of this document. The secondary objective is to reach a Coefficient of
Performance (Cp) rating of 10% or higher. Losses from converting the mechanical
power to electrical power will see an even lower overall efficiency rating. Assuming a
loss factor of 30% in converting mechanical energy to electrical energy, the wind turbine
is expected to produce electricity at seven percent overall efficiency in harnessing
available wind energy. The equations in Table 2 below were derived from previous wind
turbine projects (DeCoste, 2005, p. 6-7 and Silva, p. 1-3) and a hot air balloon website
(Griffin, 2017).
Table 2: Equations for Deriving H-Rotor Wind Turbine Efficiency

Definition Symbol Equation
[Wind Power (Watts)] Pw = (½ )* ρ * As * u3
[Air Density] ρ = p / (R * T)
[Air Pressure (Pa)] p Measured by sensor
(barometer)
[Specific Gas Constant R = 287.05 (dry air)
(J/(kg*K))]
Temperature (K) T Measured by sensor
(thermometer)
[Swept Area (m2)] As = Dt * lb
[Undisturbed Wind Speed u Measured by sensor
(m/s)] (anemometer)
[Turbine Diameter (m)] Dt Measured by ruler
[Length of Turbine Blade lb Measured by ruler
(m)]
[Mechanical Power (Watts)] Pm = Cp * P w
[Coefficient of Performance] Cp = Pm/Pw < 59.3 % = 16/27

[Betz Coefficient]
Electrical Power (W) Pe = L*Pm = L*Cp*Pw
Electrical Loss Factor L = Pe/Pm = Pe /(Cp*Pw)
[Alternate Coefficient of Cp = Pe / (L*Pw)
Performance]
The sensor data can then be used to analyze the efficiency of each component. Future
wind turbine projects can use this data to determine which components to focus on for
improving efficiency. This can also help identify which, if any, components need to be
scrapped for redesign and reconstruction.
Decision Criteria for Product Assessment:
The main criteria for this and future wind turbine projects are the proposed budgets,
sources of funding, risks of failure, and added value from the project. The electrical
components are the most expensive parts of the project followed by turbine blade
construction. Re-using parts and materials from previous projects would help mitigate
these costs. The project can seek funding from various sources ranging from private
sponsorships to educational grants and online crowd funding. Risks of failure can stem
from inexpensive materials to project members’ inexperience with system components.
Those can be mitigated with research and testing. Previous project documents help to
outline successful component designs.
There is a lot of potential value added to the relevant stakeholders. It enhances the
clean energy production industry adding value to the market and investors. Sponsors
can gain meaningful designs to implement on a commercial scale. It promotes
consumer independence from grid power. Another value is that it allows for more
complex and/or better designs from future projects.
Resource Requirements for Production:
Production of this wind turbine project will require an array of raw materials and prebuilt
parts. If the turbine blades will use a 3D printed design, than access to a 3D printer and
necessary materials is a must. Most other materials and parts include copper wires of
various gauges, magnets, electromagnets, electronic components (transistors,
capacitors, resistors, and inductors), solder, and a soldering station. General hardware
store materials like PVC tubes/fittings, plywood, screws, nuts, bolts, aluminum sheets,
and glue are required for the mechanical aspects of the project. Accurate sensors, hand
tools, power tools, wrenches, clamps, and batteries are also needed. Lab equipment is
needed for component testing and tuning to ensure component compatibility.
Workspace for testing and storage for the project is needed as well. The wind turbine
will require frequent use of diagnostic and testing tools to ensure proper assembly and
operation of the system. Time to execute the project is the most important resource
needed for this and future projects. Time will need to be set aside from each team
member to research, design, build and test the system.
Availability of Resources:
Lab equipment is available at the primary CTU campus as well as a soldering station.
Lab kits with a variety of electronic components and solder material are available from
the CTU store. Other electronic components can be found from various online vendors.
Junk yards are a likely cheap source for discarded car batteries and electromagnetic
motor parts. The PM will not be engaged in outside employment during the spring
semester. This provides the PM with ample time to complete this project on schedule.
The accessibility of CTU’s lab and campus will augment future projects that follow up on
work done for this project.
A personal laptop will be used to program the microcontroller and compile data
gathered from the sensor array to calculate power and energy generated from the wind
turbine and correlating wind speeds and other environmental conditions. Software like
Circuitmaker, MS Excel and Matlab are already available to the PM. The PM has
access to the tools necessary for platform and turbine construction. CTU provides the
specialized tools needed for continuing work on this project which include electronic lab
equipment, soldering stations, and multimeters.
End-user Training and Support Efforts:
Every step and phase of the project needs to be documented. This allows successive
iterations of a wind turbine project to become more complex and specialized. If portions
of the project fail, the data can be analyzed to identify why they may have failed. The
documentation provides a starting point on drafting an effective manual for the
installation and operation of the wind turbine. Pictures and diagrams help illustrate the
various components of the turbine. Components of the wind turbine can be cannibalized
for use on similar projects requiring the same component(s). Circuit designs for each
electronic component are crucial for other people to understand the exact circuitry used
for this project and how each component is intended to behave. This allows other
people to edit the design for improved operation and efficiency of the system. Reference
manuals for the microcontroller and transistors used for the components will be
provided to allow better understanding of how the system operates. The PM will create
a basic operating manual for others to use and learn from this project’s successes and
failures.
Other Factors:
Candidate for Group Projects:
A project like this and successive projects can be taken on by a group. This project is
broken down into specific components. Responsibility for each component can be
assigned to specific group members allowing the project components to be worked on
in parallel. This would decrease the time needed to design and build a working wind
turbine. However, additional time would be needed to ensure component
interoperability. Greater care would be needed to establish clear communication
between project members or risks for project failure will increase.
Conclusion:
This project is fairly complex with several independent components. Project success is
not guaranteed, but the wind turbine project benefits from allowing future projects to
build upon the success and/or failure(s) from this project. Principle components can be
redesigned to increase efficiencies and/or fix failed components. This and future
iterations of wind turbine projects can easily build on each other. They also bring value
to society through the research and development of clean power generation.
Economic Issues and Financial Analysis

Tangible Costs:
Table 2 below identifies the direct tangible costs of this project. The labor aspects of this
project are identified as Project Member Labor (PML). The estimated labor times are
based on a single member committing three to twelve hours per week, following the
Senior Design Project Schedule from Item 2B (Appendix A). The PML pay rate uses the
minimum national average salary of an Engineer Intern derived from the Glassdoor
website at $43,000 per year. The project advisor’s salary was derived from Glassdoor’s
average of college professor salaries in the greater Washington, DC area. The electrical
consulting fee was derived Glassdoor’s average electrician salary in the same area.
The software costs are mitigated by using GNU Octave which is a free alternative to the
prohibitively expensive MATLAB license. Free 3D modeling software with forum and
YouTube support are available online as well. A variety of online retailers were used to
source prices for various parts and tools. Home Depot was chosen for its physical
market presence to save on shipping costs. The testing equipment costs are mitigated
for this project through the use of Capitol Technology University’s (CTU) onsite lab
equipment. Total direct costs of labor, materials, and resources come to $6,931. All
sources marked ‘Estimated’ had its corresponding values generated by the project
manager.
Table 3: Estimates of Tangible Costs

Resource Estimated Price Per Total Source
Unit(s) Unit Cost
Research and Design Costs: $1,624
Project Member Labor (PML) 24 hr. $21/hr. $504 Glassdoor
Research time
PML Design time 30 hr. $21/hr. $630 Glassdoor
Project Software (Windows 10, 1 $120 $120 Microsoft
MS Office) 1 $70/year $70
Design Software (Matlab) 1 $500 $0 Matlab
Matlab Alternative (GNU Octave) 1 $0 Octave
3D Model/Printing (Blender, Sketchup, 1 $0 Fabian
Fusion360)
Laptop 1 $300 $300 Amazon
Construction Costs: $2,104
Indoor Storage Rental Costs 3 months $60/mont $180 Public
h Storage
PML for Construction/Assembly 49 hr. $21/hr. $1029 Glassdoor
Construction Materials:
- Grid Tie Inverter (<500 Watts) 1 $80 $80 Amazon
- Sensor Array (weather station) 1 $70 $70 Sparkfun
- Charge Controller (40 Amp) 1 $20 $20 Amazon
- AC-DC Converter/Filter 3 $15 $45 Amazon
- Battery Bank (12V) 2 $70 $140 Amazon
- Controller Logic 1 $50 $50 Banggood

- Breaking Element 3 $5 $15 Banggood
- DC/DC regulator 1 $15 $15 Ebay
- Wood Platform 2 $16 $32 Home
- Wood 2x4” beams 4 $6 $24 Depot
- Galvanized Steel sheet 7 $8 $56 “”
- Nuts/Bolts/Washers, Screws 100 $0.46 $46 “”
- PVC pipe (Turbine Shaft) 1 $20 $20 “”
- Turbine Arm (Aluminum) 3 $22 $66 “”
- Balsa Wood Turbine Blade 6 $3 $18 “”
Construction Tools:
- Soldering Iron 1 $10 $10 Amazon
- Multimeters 3 $15 $45 “”
- Toolkit/Toolbox 1 $33 $33 Home
- Power Drill 1 $30 $30 Depot
- Drill bit set 1 $10 $10 “”
- Clamps 4 $5 $20 “”
- Glue Gun 1 $40 $40 “”
- Glue 2 $5 $10 “”
Testing Costs: $1,541
PML for Testing 44 hours $21/hr. $924 Glassdoor
Testing Tools:
- Lab equipment (Oscilloscope, 2 months $300/mo. $600 Electrorent
Multimeters, probes)
- Sensor Array (built into system) 1 $0 $0
- Data Storage (Flash drive – 32GB 1 $12 $12 Amazon
microSD)
USB connector (5 ft.) 1 $5 $5 Amazon
Laptop (Reused from Design Phase) 1 $0 $0
Revision Costs: $196
PML for revising/fixing 4 hr. $21/hr. $84 Glassdoor
Replacement parts (blades, gears, ball 2 $50 $100 Amazon
bearings, battery) Banggood
Spare consumable materials (nuts, 20 $0.60 $12 Home
bolts, wires, glue) Depot
Troubleshooting/Repair tool use 4 hr. $0 $0 Estimated
Operational Costs: $405
PML for Maintenance 5 hr. $21/hr. $105 Glassdoor
Outdoor Space Rental Costs 30 days $10/day $300 Estimated
Operating costs 30 days $0 $0 Estimated
Miscellaneous Costs: $1,061
Electrical Consulting (Local Utility 4 hr. $26/hr. $104 Glassdoor
Company)
Administrative Costs (computer/printer 2 hr. $5 $10 Estimated
access)
PML for Documentation 7 hr. $21/hr. $147 Glassdoor

Project Advisor Consultations 16 hr. $50/hr. 800 Glassdoor
Total Estimated Tangible Costs: $6,931.00
Intangible Costs:
The hard to monetize intangible costs for this project are identified in Table 3. There
were no references found to identify the monetary effects of neither increased mineral
demands nor opportunity costs for outdoor space reserved for the completed wind
turbine. These values were estimated by the project manager. The cost for storing the
project data and documentation was estimated as well. Transporting the built or partially
built turbine is estimated to take four total trips between indoor storage and outdoor
storage locations to account for testing and troubleshooting. The total estimated
intangible costs are found to be $434.
Table 4: Estimates of Intangible Costs

Resource Estimated Price Total Source
Unit(s) Per Unit Cost
Environmental Costs
Increased Demand for Special Minerals 1 $10 $10 Estimated
Establish Safe Electrical Operating 2 hr. $21 $42 Glassdoor
Conditions (Weatherproof planning (PM labor)
Electronics/Power Grid connection)
Social Costs
Long-term Outdoor Installation Location 1 year $10/mo. $120 Estimated
Political Costs
Meeting Local/State Government 4 hr. $21 $84 PM labor
Standards for Connecting Power
Generating Equipment to the Power Grid
IEEE 1547 or UL 1741 standards for 1 $97 $97 ANSI
interconnection
Miscellaneous Intangible Costs
Data storage 1 GB $1/GB $1 Estimated
Physical storage (Indoor/Outdoor) 4 trips $20/trip $80 Estimated
transition (transport) costs
Total Estimated Intangible Costs: $434.00
Tangible Benefits:
The tangible benefits from this project were fairly disappointing and fell well short of the
direct costs of the project. The amount of labor required for the research, design, and
construction of a new VAWT far exceeds generous labor estimates to piece together
prebuilt components purchased online. Only if the time and labor opportunity costs of
the project member(s) are dismissed can the tangible benefits realize a positive result.
This helps identify the steep costs that a project can generate when investing in
research and development (R&D) for new and unique product designs rather than using
tried and tested designs. Another factor as that federal tax credits for renewable energy
excluded all types except solar panels after the 2016 tax year. This is why tax credits for
wind turbines for 2017 and beyond is reduced to zero dollars (Energy Star, ca. 2017).
The power produced by the VAWT was calculated using equations derived from Table 1
in Appendix B, generated from Item 9 (Generation and Sustainability Analysis).
Assumptions were made for the turbine to have 10% mechanical efficiency and 70%
electrical efficiency, producing electricity 75% of each day over the course of a year with
average wind speeds of 5.5 meters per second.
Table 5: Estimates of Tangible Benefits

Unit(s) Per Unit Benefit
Estimated Revenue (sales of project)
Sale of single Turbine Unit 1 $1,200 $1,200 Estimated
Electrical Power Generation (1 year) 131.4kWh $.1393/k $18.3/yr. EIA, EWEA
Wh (MD)
Alternate Approach Dollars Saved
Purchasing All Components prebuilt $1320 $263 $263 Amazon
(minus labor and storage costs) saved
Alternate Approach Time Saved
PML for Alternate Assembly Time 15 hr. $21/hr. [$315] Estimated
PML for Project R&D/Construction -103 hr. $21/hr. [-$2163]
Time Saved -88 hr. $21/hr. -$1848 Difference
Miscellaneous Tangible Benefits
Reduces Peak Grid Electrical Demand 131.4 kWh $.1393/k $18.3/yr. EIA, 2017f
Wh (MD)
Green Credits for Clean Energy .1314 $480 $63.07 Richardson
MWh
Green Energy Tax Credit(s) 1 $0 $0 Energy Star
Total Estimated Tangible Benefits: -$285.33
Intangible Benefits:
The intangible benefits starts to illustrate the possibilities this project can generate. The
impact of clean electricity generation is fairly minimal. But the primary contribution to the
project benefits comes from social factors. Connecting remote locations to the nearest
power grid can cost anywhere from $10,000 to $30,000 or more (LandCentury, 2017).
Other ancillary concerns about green energy and energy independence boost the
benefits realized from this project.
Table 6: Estimates of Intangible Benefits

Unit(s) Per Unit Benefit
Environmental Benefits
Reduces Demand for Fossil Fueled 131.4 $0.1393/ $18.30/yr. EIA, 2017f
Electricity kWh/year kWh (MD)
Offsets Equivalent CO2 Emissions 131.4 $0.1393/ $18.30/yr. EIA, 2017f
kWh/year kWh (MD)
Social Benefits
Bragging Rights 1 $100 $100 Estimated
Electrical Power Availability in Remote 1 $10,000 $10,000 LandCent
Locations ury
Backup Power Availability in 1/year $100/yr. $100 EIA, 2016
Blackouts/Brownouts Outages
Political Benefits
University Producing ‘Green Power’ 1 $1000 $1000 Estimated
Generating Clean Energy Prestige 1 $1000 $1000 Estimated
Miscellaneous Intangible Benefits
Future integration with Solar Power 1 $400 $400 Estimated
systems
Promotes Energy Efficient Home 1 $100 $100 Estimated
Total Estimated Intangible Benefits: $12,636.60
Net Effect:
The final comparison of costs and benefits are realized in Table 6 below. The
calculations show that the total costs are less than the total benefits generated by this
project. Tangible benefits are found to be negative from the excessive time invested into
the research, design, and construction of the prototype VAWT compared to an
alternative approach. However, final calculations show that the total benefits more than
compensate for the costs generated by this project. Tangible benefits for similar projects
can be increased by reducing the time dedicated for the research, design, and
construction of a wind turbine.
Table 7: Estimated Net Effect of Costs and Benefits

Type of Costs and Benefits Value ($)
Total Costs:
Tangible Costs -$6,931
Intangible Costs -$434
Total Benefits:
Tangible Benefits -$285.33
Intangible Benefits $12,636.6
Estimated Net Effect of Costs and
$4,986.27
Benefits:
Conclusion:
Labor and opportunity costs consume a large portion of this wind turbine project. Future
projects based on VAWT designs can be improved with multiple project members
focusing on specialized tasks. Reusing components from this project will also help
reduce costs for future projects. Tangible costs and benefits can be improved by
streamlining the construction and testing process. This would allow multiple turbines to
be constructed and sold. Improvements to the design could also allow the VAWT
prototype(s) to generate more electricity than previous generations. The direct and
material costs are still significant. This highlights a serious need to seek 3rd party
sponsorship(s) to fund this project.
Project Conclusions
Problem Conclusions:
Society eventually needs to figure out how to generate energy once the limited supply of
non-renewable energy sources will be depleted. There is no existing solution to this
problem yet. Progress has been made in harnessing known sources of renewable and
clean energy, but the technology has not matured enough to make any significant
impact on the energy demands of the globe. Solutions to this problem will satisfy the
balance of energy demands with environmental concerns for the planet. Having
sustainable and stable renewable energy sources to meet the growing energy demands
of this planet will propel a strong human civilization into the next century.
Solution Conclusions:
designs show potential in both large and small-scale electricity production. VAWTs tend
to have a simpler design with less moving parts than traditional HAWT designs. This
allows for more efficient electricity production. This project will have less expensive
overall material costs and minimizes maintenance requirements. A VAWT project would
be simpler to design, build, and test than other potential projects of the same scope.
Cost and time are the primary limiting factors of this project. Compared to alternative
solutions to the problem, a vertical axis wind turbine is most feasible in creating a
project to generate electricity from renewable energy sources.
Project Conclusions:
Creating a power generating system is very complex and tedious. There are many
components to design, build and test. Getting them to all operate as intended with any
significant efficiency may become an issue. Wind turbines require an understanding of
both mechanical and electrical engineering. Any project like this would ideally be staffed
with project members with experience in either of those fields.
Recommendations
Recommendations for the Problem:
Continued support and investment into research and development for clean power
technologies is recommended. The technology is not anywhere near ready to replace
the power provided by fossil fuels. Carbon-capture technologies are promising for the
short and mid-term solutions to stabilizing Earth’s environment. However, long-term
solutions will be required to address the limited supply of fossil fuels on this planet.
Recommendations for the Solution:
Wind energy is merely a small part of the whole solution. The whole solution will entail
various sources of energy to power human society. Investments into perfecting existing
solutions such as wind, solar, and hydro power technologies is the best approach
currently available. Supporting this project will contribute, however small, towards ideal
solutions in addressing the problem presented in this document.
Recommendations for the Project:
It is recommended to support the completion of this project. It would provide a baseline

of data and material for future projects to use. Multiple iterations of this project are
expected to improve efficiency and performance of electricity generation for vertical axis
wind turbines.
Appendices
Appendix A: Project Proposal
Project Description

Reason for Choosing This Project
Traditional wind turbines capitalize on using wind as a renewable resource but are
limited to areas of consistent wind presence flowing in a consistent direction. However,
omnidirectional wind turbines are able to dynamically adjust themselves to changing
wind directions. This allows more efficient energy capture from chaotic wind patterns.
This capability creates new areas of harvestable wind energy that has not been
capitalized on. Expanding the areas of harvestable wind energy allows for much more
widespread implementation of wind turbines in society. This would also contribute to an
overall growth of the United States’ power grid capabilities. An additional benefit would
be long-term reduction of individuals’ costs in using electricity in home and business
environments. Wind turbines are already an established and mature technology with
many available references for hardware design.
Projected Time to Complete
The research and design phase should take about two weeks. Manufacturing and
assembly is anticipated to take up to two months, depending on the availability of parts
from vendors and manufacturing sources. Testing and revision of the prototype to meet
the desired specifications is expected to take about three to four weeks to gather and
analyze the test data.
Diagram
Vertical Axis
Wind Turbine
(VAWT) Environmental
Sensor Array
120 VAC
Generator Controller Inverter
Power Grid
Braking
Element
Figure 7: Diagram of Proposed VAWT Project
Physical Configuration
The prototype will consist of a small-scale Vertical Axis Wind Turbine with custom
blades mounted to a generator and platform. The controller converts the power
generated into DC current and will use a dynamic switchable breaking resistor to
regulate power flow into the inverter. The inverter would convert the DC power into 120
VAC (Volts Alternating Current) suitable for uploading into the local power grid. An
alternative setup would insert a large capacity battery between the controller and
inverter to allow local storage of the power generated before uploading the power into
the grid.
Required Resources
For the planning and design phase, simulation and modeling software will be needed to
design both the electronic circuits and the physical blade and housing designs.
Solidworks or another 3-D modeling program that is compatible with 3D printing
software will be needed. There are several freeware 3D modeling software applications
available online that are capable of creating 3D print files compatible with 3D printers
(Fabian, 2017). Access and experience with CircuitMaker software to engineer the
electronic aspects of the design are necessary and available as freeware online.
The production phase will require the manufacturing of the electrical circuits and wind
turbine components. Some of the components like magnets and wires will need to be
purchased off the shelf. Other components will need to be specifically engineered and
manufactured. Further research is required to identify which components are best
purchased from vendors and which will need to be manufactured in-house. Most likely,
access to soldering and PCB construction machines are needed for electronic
components which are already available at the main Capital Technology University
campus.
A 3-D printer may also be needed to manufacture some parts like custom fan blade
designs. CTU has access to a 3D printer through one of the professors at CTU.
Research in ongoing for funding the material and time needed for the necessary 3D
printed components.
The final testing phase will mostly just require time. Use of electrical measuring and
diagnostic tools will be needed which are available in CTU’s labs. Time will be needed
to gather meaningful data to determine the effectiveness and efficiencies of the
prototype wind turbine. Therefore, production of the wind turbine must be completed
well before April. This will allow time to gather data and analyze the data. This
information will be used to form meaningful conclusions about the project.
Professional Biography
Proposer is Troy Massagee, currently attending Capitol Technology University, seeking

to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering in 2018. This student has
taken is taken classes in Electrical Power Engineering, Network Analysis, Circuit Design
and Simulation, Engineering Physics, Analog Circuits. This gives the student adequate
experience in creating, working with, and testing the prototype wind turbine.
Appendix B: Senior Project Approval
Professor Chandra Bajracharya and Dr. Nayef Abu-Ageel approved this project as of 8
September 2017. The email chain is attached below and available for reference as a
separate PDF file.
Adobe Acrobat
Document
__ ________________________________________________________
Appendix C: Schedule for EN-408 Coursework
EN-408: ITEM 2A
Project Schedule for
Troy Massagee
Task Start Due Resource

Date Date Status Requirements Notes
(E=Estimated)
Project Proposal (1) 8/21 8/28 Completed, Computer, Transferred
Research Potential Projects 8/21 8/25 Late-9/5 Internet, into class
Select Project to complete 8/21 8/25 Research, 8/29 from
Draft Project Proposal 8/25 8/28 Approval Senior Design revised
Edit & Revise 8/25 8/28 Received Project Advisor: Degree
Submit Proposal for Approval 8/28 8/28 On 9/7 Dr. Chandra Audit
Submit Final Draft 8/28 8/28 Bajracharya
Initial Presentation (12) 9/8 9/11 Completed Computer, Presentation

Research Turbine Designs 8/25 9/8 Internet, MS given on
Draft Presentation 9/8 9/10 Visio, MS 9/11.
Create Logical and Physical 9/8 9/10 Completed PowerPoint Physical
design diagrams design still
Reference Sources 9/8 9/10 not finalized.
Revise/Edit 9/8 9/10
Practice Presentation 9/10 9/11
Submit/Deliver Presentation to 9/11 9/11
Class
EN-408 Schedule (2A) 9/11 9/18 Completed Computer, Retain

Draft Project Prep. Schedule 9/17 9/16 Internet, MS Schedule
Review & Revise 9/17 Office and Update
Submit Schedule & Retain 9/18 through EN-
Hard Copy 408 course
EE-458 Schedule (2B) 9/16 9/18 Completed Computer, Retain

Draft Schedule for EE-458 9/17 Internet, MS Schedule to
Review & Revise 9/17 Office Revise and
Submit Schedule & Retain 9/18 Utilize for
Hard Copy EE-458
Problem/Opportunity 9/18 9/25 Completed Computer,

Background (3) Internet, MS
Select Problem OR 9/18 Office
Opportunity 9/24
Draft Background Paper 9/24
Review & Revise 9/25
Submit Final Document
Idea Justification (4) 9/25 10/02 Completed Computer,

Research Topic 9/30 Internet, MS
Draft Justification Document 10/01 Office
Submit Final Document 10/02
Assumptions and 9/28 10/02 Completed Computer,

Constraints (5) Internet, MS
Research Assumptions 9/30 Office, Project
Research Constraints 9/30 Advisor
Draft Item 5 Document 10/01
Literature/Tech./Professional 10/02 10/09 Completed Computer,

Environment Overview (6) Internet, MS
Identify 7 Works to Review 9/18 10/06 Office, Capitol
Read/Analyze/Review Work1 10/07 Virtual Library
Read/Analyze/Review Work2 10/07
Consolidate Reviews 10/08
Design/Product 10/09 10/18 Completed Computer,
Specifications (7) Internet, MS
Research/Validate Initial 10/15 Office,
Designs Circuitmaker
Consolidate Designs into Draft 10/16 Software, 3D
Document design software,
Review & Revise 10/17 Project Advisor
Considerations and 10/18 10/23 Completed Computer,

Resolution of Environmental, Internet, MS
Safety, Ethical, Social and Office, Capitol
Political Issues (8) Virtual Library
Draft Document 10/21
Additional Research 10/21
Work Presentation (13) 10/28 10/30 Completed Computer,

Review Work Completed 10/28 Internet, MS
Review Work Needed to Do 10/28 Office
Draft Presentation 10/28
Practice Presentation 10/29
Submit Presentation 10/30
Generation and 10/30 11/06 Completed Computer,

Sustainability Analysis (9) Internet, MS
Utilize Item 5 to Draft 11/04 Office, Project
Document 11/04 Advisor
Research 11/05
Submit Final Document
Economic and Financial 10/30 11/13 Completed Computer,

Analysis (10) Internet, MS
Research Costs of Project 10/30 11/10 Office, Course
Execute Cost-Benefit Analysis 11/11 Textbook, Project
on Project (CBA) Advisor
Draft CBA Document 11/12
Revise & Review 11/12
*THANKSGIVING BREAK* 11/22 11/26 N/A N/A Time to

work on
Items 11
and 14
Final Project Presentation 11/13 11/27 Completed Computer, Document
(14) 11/24 Internet, MS finished and
Draft Presentation Utilizing Office submitted
Items 1-10 11/24 on 11/26.
Create Necessary Visual Aids 11/26 Presentation
Practice Presentation 11/26 given on
Review & Revise 11/27 11/27.
Submit Final Presentation
Feasibility Analysis (11) 11/30 12/04 In-Progress Computer, Will begin

Utilize Items 1-14 to Draft 12/01 Internet, MS Project
Feasibility Analysis Office Funding
Format Document 12/02 phase at
Review & Revise 12/03 completion
Submit Final Document 12/04 of this
assignment.
Appendix D: Schedule for Completing Senior Design Project (EE-458)
EN-408: Item 2B
Senior Design Project Schedule
For Troy Massagee
(Omnidirectional Wind Turbine)
# of Resource
Task Days Requirements Notes
Seek Project Funding 60 EN-408 Documents, *Will use the documents
Computer, Printer, generated from EN-408 as a
Points of Contact basis for creating proposals
for seeking sponsors to help
fund this Senior Design
Project.
Finalize Prototype Wind 15
Turbine Design Project Budget will constrain the
Consult with Project size of the Turbine and quality of
Finalize Project Budget & 3 Advisor its components. Access to 3D
Resources Available printer is required if
Consult with Project manufacturing components in-
Identify testing equipment 1 Advisor house
needed
Detailed Component
Create 3 buildable Designs (1 6 Diagrams needed
with off-the-shelf components, 1
with scratch-built in-house Many components have trade-
components, 1 with hybrid of offs of
both) price/performance/efficiency
Execute CBA of 3 designs and 3 Cost-Benefit Analysis

choose final design Vendor Catalogs
Identify components to 2 Data in Spreadsheet for

manufacture and/or purchase easy analysis
Manufacture and Assemble 37 Project Budget will determine

Components what parts/components are
purchased from vendors.
Research/Compare specs and 5 Vendor Catalogs,
prices for components to Monetary Budget, Budget may allow purchase of
purchase from multiple vendors Material Budget from spare parts.
Self & Capitol Tech.
Order Parts, Send 3-D & Circuit 1 University Parts from international sources
Board manufacturing request(s) will take longer than domestic
sources.
Receive parts 14 Receiving Address
Components being hand-made or
Assemble ‘Generator’ 5 Working space to from Capitol’s resources can be
assemble and store assembled and wired while
Assemble ‘Controller’ 3 project, Power Tools, waiting for other parts to arrive.
Industrial Glues,
Assemble ‘Inverter’ 3 clamps, Some components may need
polishing/sanding tools, time for glue to set, and for small
Assemble ‘Braking Element’ 1 Screws, Nails, hammer, parts to be placed very precisely.
Electronic measuring
Assemble Turbine Blades/Rotor 2 tools, Soldering Testing each component is
equipment, Access to critical during this for reducing
Assemble Turbine Housing 1 Capitol’s Electronics troubleshooting and issues later
(Nacelle) Lab, in this project.
Assemble Turbine Platform 1 The Turbine Platform will be the

largest component and require
Assemble Artificial Wind 1 Likely to be bought from the largest amount of storage
Source(s) (Fans) local Walmart or other space. The ‘Artificial Wind
department store Sources’ are required to test the
prototype turbine under
controlled conditions, to allow for
collection of a reliable baseline of
testing data.
Assemble Prototype Turbine & 6
Testing Platform
The mobility of the Turbine
Mount Nacelle (Housing) onto 1 Same resources needed platform will largely affect where
Turbine Platform from previous phase of project will be stored and how
the Project: often access to it will be.
Mount Generator and Turbine 1 Working space to
Blades/Rotor into the Nacelle assemble and store
(Housing) project, Power Tools,
Industrial Glues,
Mount Controller and Braking 1 clamps,
Element onto the Turbine polishing/sanding tools,
Platform/Nacelle Screws, Nails, hammer,
Electronic measuring
Mount Inverter onto the Turbine 1 tools, Soldering Double-checking and testing the
Platform equipment, Access to connections is essential and will
Capitol’s Electronics be done at every sub-section of
Mount Artificial Wind Source(s) 1 Lab, this phase to ensure proper
onto Turbine Platform energy flow and prevent damage
to any component later on.
Test Connections and Power 1
Flow
Test Wind Turbine Performance 36
& Efficiency
Test turbine performance under 7 Energy/Electronic Provides a baseline to evaluate

controlled conditions (Measure measuring tools, power generated and its
energy output over time/peak Computer, efficiency.
output) Spreadsheets
Since real world conditions are
Remove Artificial Wind Sources 1 much more unpredictable, extra
time is need to gather data.
Test turbine performance under 14 Energy/Electronic Slack from other parts of this
real world conditions (Measure measuring tools, project may allow testing of this
energy output over time/peak Computer, turbine at multiple locations.
output) Spreadsheets
*Fixing Critical Issues can
Fix Critical Failures & Issues 14* Power tools, Diagnostic operate in parallel with the rest of
tools, Spare parts the Testing Phase, and may
extend the phase depending on
how long it takes to fix the

issue(s)
Final Results & Conclusions 10
Compile test data 2 Combine spreadsheets Weather a success, failure, or

of measurements. neither, this project will reach
Evaluate performance and 5 Utilize data analysis completion. Conclusions about
efficiency of the prototype wind tools from MS Excel. this project will be made and
turbine submitted.
Compile report using
Generate conclusions for the 3 MS Office
project
Total Estimated Time to 164* *Includes 60 days for project

Complete Project funding *
References
3D printer filament comparison guide. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.matterhackers.com/3d-printer-filament-compare
Amazon. (2017a, Nov.). [Online retailer]. Retrieved from https://www.amazon.com/
Amazon. (2017b, Sep 30). “Wind turbine” search[Online retailer]. Retrieved from
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-
keywords=wind+turbine&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Awind+turbine
ANSI. (2017). IEEE 1547-2003 (R2008). [American National Standards Institute].

Retrieved from https://webstore.ansi.org/RecordDetail.aspx?sku=IEEE%201547-
2003%20(R2008)&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI5MGpxpG61wIVlqDsCh1iXgKuEAAYAS
AAEgLLQfD_BwE
Baguley, R. (2017, Feb 2). 3D printing materials: the pros and cons of each type. [Tom’s
Guide]. Retrieved from https://www.tomsguide.com/us/3d-printing-
materials,news-24392.html
Banggood. (2017, Nov.). [Electronics online store]. Retrieved from

https://www.banggood.com/
Bryce, R. (2011, October 14). Don’t count oil out. Future Tense. Retrieved from
http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2011/10/oil_and_gas_won
_t_be_replaced_by_alternative_energies_anytime_so.html
Cedar Lake Ventures. (2017). Comparison of the average weather in Colorado Springs,
Cimarron Hills, Manitou Springs, and Denver. Retrieved from
https://weatherspark.com/compare/y/3685~3684~3690~3709/Comparison-of-the-
Average-Weather-in-Colorado-Springs-Cimarron-Hills-Manitou-Springs-and-
Denver
Colorado Springs Utilities. (2017). Renewable energy rebates. Retrieved from

https://www.csu.org/pages/renewable-energy.aspx
DeCoste, J., McKay, D., Robinson, B., Whitehead, S., & Wright, S. (2005, Dec 5).
MECH 4010 design project: Vertical axis wind turbine. Nova Scotia, Canada:
Dalhousie University. Retrieved from
http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.452.6381&rep=rep1&ty
pe=pdf
Ebay. (2017, Nov.). [Online auction/retailer]. Retrieved from https://www.ebay.com/

Eriksson, S., Bernhoff, H., & Leijon M. (2008). Evaluation of different turbine concepts
for wind power. ScienceDirect: Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 12,
1419-1434.
Electrorent. (2017, Nov.). [Electronic equipment for retail/lease/rent]. Retrieved from

https://www.electrorent.com
Energy Star. (ca. 2017). Federal Income Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency. Retrieved
from https://www.energystar.gov/about/federal_tax_credits
EWEA. (ca. 2016). [European wind energy association FAQs]. Retrieved from
http://www.ewea.org/wind-energy-basics/faq/
Fabian. (2017, May 9). Top 20: Most popular 3D modeling & design software for 3D
printing (2017 update). https://i.materialise.com/blog/top-25-most-popular-3d-
modeling-design-software-for-3d-printing/
Glassdoor. (2017). [Occupational salary statistics]. Retrieved from

https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/us-engineer-intern-salary-
SRCH_IL.0,2_IN1_KO3,18.htm
GNU Octave. (ca. 2017, Feb). [Freeware program]. Retrieved from

https://www.gnu.org/software/octave/
Griffin, S. (2017). How to calculate air density. Brisbane, Australia: Fly Me to the Moon.
Retrieved from https://www.brisbanehotairballooning.com.au/calculate-air-
density/
Home Depot, The. (2017, Nov.). [Online/physical hardware store]. Retrieved from
https://www.homedepot.com/
International Energy Agency (IEA). (2017a). Clean energy technologies. Retrieved from
https://www.iea.org/topics/cleanenergytechnologies/
International Energy Agency (IEA). (2017b). Our mission. Retrieved from

https://www.iea.org/about/
IEEE Standards Association. (2008). IEEE std 1547-2003 – IEEE standard for
interconnecting distributed resources with electric power systems. Retrieved from
https://standards.ieee.org/findstds/standard/1547-2003.html
Kleijn, R. (2012, Sep 5). Ch. 4: Metal requirements of low-carbon power generation.
Materials and Energy: A Story of Linkages. Department of Industrial Ecology,
Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML), Faculty of Science, Leiden University.
Retrieved from
https://openaccess.leidenuniv.nl/bitstream/handle/1887/19740/04.pdf?sequence=
27
LandCentury. (ca. 2017). Bringing utilities to an undeveloped plot of land – What to

expect. [Real Estate Agency]. Retrieved from
https://www.landcentury.com/articles-news/bringing-utilities-to-an-undeveloped-
plot-of-land-what-to-expect/
Lyman, R. (2017, May). Why renewable energy cannot replace fossil fuels by 2050.
Friends of Science. Retrieved from
https://www.friendsofscience.org/assets/documents/Renewable-energy-cannot-
replace-FF_Lyman.pdf
Matasci, S. (2017, June 9). How much do solar panels cost in the U.S. in 2017?.
Retrieved from http://news.energysage.com/how-much-does-the-average-solar-
panel-installation-cost-in-the-u-s/
Microsoft Store. (2017, Nov). [Microsoft Online Store]. Retrieved from

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/b/home
Muller, S., Deicke, M., & De Doncker, R. W. (2002, June). Doubly fed induction
generator systems for wind turbines. IEEE Industry Applications Magazine, 26-
33.
Mueller, S., Vithayasrichareon, P., Chandler, H., & Emanuele, B. (2017, March). Getting
wind and sun onto the grid: A manual for policy makers. France: International
Energy Agency. Retrieved from
https://www.iea.org/publications/insights/insightpublications/Getting_Wind_and_S
un.pdf
N.C. Clean Energy Technology Center. (2017). Database of state incentives for
renewables & efficiency. Retrieved from http://www.dsireusa.org/
Public Storage. (2017 Nov 12). [Public self-storage company]. Retrieved from
https://www.publicstorage.com/maryland/self-storage-laurel-md/20724-self-
storage/1471?lat=39.09976&lng=-76.82784&clp=1&sp=Laurel|39.0992752|-
76.8483061#/?zl=16&vd=0.36816029120589977&lat=39.09976&lng=-
76.82783999999998&sort=dasc&ssort=dasc&vsort=dasc&v20=0&v35=0&v50=0
&vc=0&vu=0&ve=0&cc=0&da=0&ms=1,2
Richardson, L. (2017, Feb 4). 2017 REC prices: Explaining how to sell your RECs in the
U.S.. Energy Sage. Retrieved from http://news.energysage.com/srec-prices-
explaining-u-s-srec-solar-market/
Shuqin, L. (2011, July 5). Magnetic suspension and self-pitch for vertical-axis wind
turbines. In R. Carriveau (Ed.). Fundamental and Advanced Topics in Wind
Power (pp. 233-248). Shanghai, China: InTech. Retrieved from
https://www.intechopen.com/books/fundamental-and-advanced-topics-in-wind-
power
Silva, G. (n.d.). Vertical axis wind turbine development. Portugal: Tecnico Lisboa
[University]. Retrieved from
https://fenix.tecnico.ulisboa.pt/downloadFile/395143097660/Extended%20abstra
ct.pdf
Sparkfun. (2017, Nov.). [Electronics online store]. Retrieved from

https://www.sparkfun.com/
Underwriters Laboratories. (2010, Jan 28). UL 1741: Standard for inverters, converters,
controllers and interconnection system equipment for use with distributed energy
resources. Retrieved from
https://standardscatalog.ul.com/standards/en/standard_1741_2
U.S. Department of Energy. (2017). Grid-connected renewable systems. Retrieved from

https://energy.gov/energysaver/grid-connected-renewable-energy-systems
U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). (2016, Sep 12). Today in energy.
[National electric outage rate and duration]. Retrieved from
https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=27892
U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). (2017, May 16). Biomass explained.
Retrieved from
https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm?page=biomass_home
U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). (2017a, Jan 5). Annual energy outlook
2017. Retrieved from https://www.eia.gov/outlooks/aeo/
U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). (2017b, Sep 15). Does the world have
enough oil to meet our future needs? Retrieved from
https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=38&t=6
U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). (2017c). Electricity data browser.

Retrieved from
https://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/browser/#/topic/7?agg=2,0,1&geo=g&freq=M
U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). (2017d, Aug 17). Greenhouse gases’
effect on the climate. Retrieved from
https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm?page=environment_how_ghg_aff
ect_climate
U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). (2017e, Aug 31). [Graph Illustration].
Nuclear fuel cycle. Retrieved from
https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm?page=nuclear_fuel_cycle
U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). (2017f, Oct. 24). Table 5.6.A: Average
price of electricity to ultimate customers by end-use sector. [U.S. Energy
Information Administration]. Retrieved from
https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.php?t=epmt_5_6_a
U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). (2017g, Sep 14). Today in energy.
Retrieved from https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=32912
U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). (2017h). [Graph Illustration]. U.S. primary
energy consumption by source and sector, 2016. Retrieved from
https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/
U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). (2017i). [Graph Illustration]. U.S. primary
energy production by major source, 2016. Retrieved from
https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/
U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). (2017j, May 16). What are U.S. energy-
related carbon dioxide emissions by source and sector?. Retrieved from
https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=75&t=11
Wallace, H. (2017, April). Fuel cell basics. Retrieved from

http://americanhistory.si.edu/fuelcells/basics.htm
World Coal Association. (2017). Coal combustion products. Retrieved from

https://www.worldcoal.org/coal/uses-coal/coal-combustion-products

Massagee Troy Item 11

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Massagee Troy Item 11

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Omnidirectional Wind Turbine Project:

Capitol Technology University

Limitations of the Project Manager: ........................................................................... 19

Problem Conclusions: ................................................................................................ 48

Tables and Figures

The Omnidirectional Wind Turbine Project seeks to create a working prototype of a

Conclusions and Recommendations:

The Omnidirectional Wind Turbine Project seeks to create a working prototype of a

Figure 1: U.S.A.'s Energy Sources Organized by Type

Figure 2: USA's Energy Sources Organized by Consumption Type

Can the Problem be Solved?

What are the Short-Term Effects of the Problem?

The significant increases in concentrations of greenhouse gases, including CO2, over

Table 1: Total Energy-Related CO2 Emissions from the United States

Residential Commercial Industrial Transportation Electric power Source total

Coal 0 2 110 0 1,241 1,354

Natural gas 241 172 487 39 546 1,485

Petroleum 66 61 331 1,840 21 2,320

Electricity2 690 667 459 4

Sector total 998 902 1,388 1,883 1,821 5,171

What are the Long-Term Effects of the Problem?

When Did the Problem Develop?

What Caused the Problem?

Figure 3: General Life Cycle for Nuclear Fuel (Uranium-235)

How Severe is the Problem?

Where Does the Problem Occur?

Who is Affected by the Problem?

How Many People are Affected by the Problem?

Who Will Benefit from the Solution?

Who Else is Involved in Solving the Problem?

What is Needed to Solve the Problem?

The Omnidirectional Wind Turbine Project seeks to create a working prototype of a

Distributed energy platforms are necessary to supplement the centralized energy

Figure 4: Left is a Savonius rotor, Middle is a Darrieus turbine, and right is an H-

Extent and Availability of Material Resources:

Extent and Availability of Technological Resources:

Extent and Availability of Logistical Resources:

Extent and Availability of Financial Resources:

Extent and Availability of Referential Resources:

Current and Projected Need for the Idea:

Expected Receptivity of the Idea Among Those Who Will Benefit:

Barriers to Completion of the Project:

Barriers to Large-Scale Implementation of the Idea:

Conclusion of Assumptions and Constraints:

Literature/Technology/Professional Environment Overview

This article documents Guilherme’s research and experiments with a custom-made

Key Ideas & Information:

Analysis of Key Ideas & Information:

Learnings & Insights:

How Information Will Be Used:

Item 2: Results of Technology Review

Key Ideas & Information:

The author presents several methods to implement magnetic suspension of rotating

Analysis of Key Ideas & Information:

Learnings & Insights:

How Information Will Be Used:

Item 3: Results of Technology Review

Key Ideas & Information:

Analysis of Key Ideas & Information:

Learnings & Insights:

How Information Will Be Used:

Item 4: Results of Professional Environment Review

Key Ideas & Information:

THANKSGIVING BREAK 11/22 11/26 N/A N/A Time to