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A wind fence developed by New York-based designer Joe Doucet is set to bring clean energy production into urban landscapes. The fence consists of vertical wind turbines, is modular, and, most importantly, is pleasing to the eye, making it more likely to be adopted in hotels, corporate buildings, and residential units.

Wind energy is an important component of the renewable energy mix that countries have adopted as they aim for a future away from fossil fuels. To achieve maximum energy gain and efficiency, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) build bigger turbines every year for large installations.

This has been preventing wind energy from participating in distributed energy generation, much like solar panels can be installed on rooftops, in gardens, and now even on balconies.

In 2021, Doucet was researching distributed energy products for wind energy and found that few good options were available. So, the designer did what he could best: design a new product that was both efficient and scored on aesthetics.

Doucets original design was called the Wind Turbine Wall. Over the last two years, the designer has developed and tested the concept several times, with the majority of changes affecting the shape and size of the blades.

With the team at Airiva, a company he co-founded with energy industry veteran Jeff Stone, Doucet put 16 designs of vertical turbine blades through the motions to arrive at three final versions that made it to the wind tunnel testing.

After rigorous testing at two facilities in the US, the team was convinced that the helical structure of the turbine blades was the most efficient. This isnt the first time someone is working with helically shaped blades in a vertical turbine. However, where Airiva claims to have made good progress is how to get maximum benefit by placing multiple blades operating simultaneously.

In a standard setup, where eight helical blades are precisely arranged, the Wind Fence generates about 2,200 kilowatts of energy annually.

From the output from a single unit, an average US household would need five Wind Fence units to remove its dependence on the grid completely. This might not sound too much until you realize that each unit measures nearly 14 feet (4.2 m) by seven feet (2.1 m).

Airivas team isnt seeking residential customers to buy their product. Since the concept was first unveiled in 2021, corporations, public institutions, and real-estate firms have been keen to install it on their premises.

The noiseless movement of the wind turbines makes clean energy generation aesthetically pleasing and helps make a statement about the companys transition to a greener planet. Airiva plans to use 80 percent recycled material in its production.

The solution is modular, and one can install an array of units to increase energy production at a facility. Even then, the Wind Fence wouldnt match the energy output of a massive horizontal turbine. But that isnt a target Airiva is trying to beat either.

The advantage of distributed energy systems is that they see fewer energy losses during transmissions since they are generated so close to the site of usage.

The company is still some distance away from installing its units commercially, though. Custom pilots could happen later this year, and the first orders will come in 2025.

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Ameya Paleja Ameya is a science writer based in Hyderabad, India. A Molecular Biologist at heart, he traded the micropipette to write about science during the pandemic and does not want to go back. He likes to write about genetics, microbes, technology, and public policy.

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