Revolutionary wind turbines. More power for a fraction of the price

Turbines with simpler design, costing less than half of what conventional ones do, yet more durable, more efficient, and ready to operate even in high wind. It sounds like something impossible, yet the Dutch claim they have managed to do it.

The Japanese giant MOL has decided to make a significant capital investment, as a result of which it has become a shareholder in the Dutch startup TouchWind. It is developing the concept of Mono - single-blade wind turbines, which are said to offer higher power than conventional "windmills" for significantly less money.

Mono turbines are lighter, work effectively across a wider range of wind speeds, and their production could cost merely 30 to 50 percent of what you would have to pay for conventional, most commonly three-bladed wind turbines. This is due to the simplified construction of not only the rotor itself, but also the base.

Dutch turbines not only cost less, but are also capable of generating more. While standard rotors are shut down at a wind speed of 56 mph, TouchWind claims that its technology continues to work successfully even at 157 mph. Fewer downtimes, of course, mean more generated energy.

This was solved quite inventively. The shovel is attached to the mast in such a way that in the absence of wind it is at a large angle and remains minimally above the water surface. However, when the wind intensifies and the rotations become faster, the mast with the shovel rises like a helicopter rotor. This significantly reduces the risk of breakdown.

Dutch engineers claim that the project is so universal that turbines can be installed practically on any shoreline (adapted to accommodate 656-foot blades). The transport and assembly are to be just as trouble-free, according to TouchWind itself. Evidence of this has been reported by the New Atlas service.

Currently, tests of this technology are underway. The Dutch do not hide their pleasure from the investment made by MOL, as it may accelerate the introduction of Mono turbines to the market. However, it is difficult to speak of specific dates at the moment.