Swiss researchers boost efficiency of vertical axis wind turbines
![Swiss researchers boost efficiency of vertical axis wind turbines](https://www.swissinfo.ch/content/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2024/04/240205_MM_Mulleners_windTurbine.jpg)
Vertical wind turbines could produce more electricity if optimised with tweaks identified by Swiss researchers. As they are quieter, require less space and are less dangerous for birds, such vertical wind turbines could compete with conventional models in the long term, the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) announced on Wednesday. Vertical wind turbines have been around for some time. However, their development has faced challenges in terms of physics, according to the SNSF. As their axis of rotation is perpendicular to the wind, the angle between the wind and the rotor blades is constantly changing. As soon as the wind reaches a certain speed, a phenomenon known as "dynamic stall" occurs, resulting in air vortexes and turbulence. In a study published in the journal Nature Communications, a research team from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) led by Karen Mulleners has now demonstrated a solution to this problem: they installed a device that allows ...