vertical-axis wind turbines

Today I was asked what is a ‘vertical-axis wind turbines‘. Good question if you think about it because without a picture it is hard to explain. It is a wind mill that points up but captures wind from the side, right? (that made me grin) See the picture here… kinda like that, but what is a vertical-axis wind turbine? A vertical-axis wind turbine is a type of wind turbine where the main rotor shaft is set vertically. Among the advantages of this arrangement are that generators and gearboxes can be placed close to the ground, and that VAWTs do not need to be pointed into the wind. Thus they are omni-directional or do not have to be pointed when the wind changes directions. This is really great for areas where the wind shifts directions often or is generally erradic in nature. The vertical-axis wind turbine seems to thrive in this type of environment.
Want to know more about vertical-axis wind turbines and the green energy they produce?