In the United States, wind farms are typically constructed far from where the electrical energy will be used. Our small scale approach will provide power very close to where it will be consumed, thereby reducing transmission loss.
The U.S. military built concrete bunkers along the Pacific and Atlantic Coasts from the late 1800s well into the twentieth century. Many of these historic structures were never called into service, but nonetheless were maintained until the late 1940s. Most of the batteries, as they are commonly called, have fallen into disrepair due to their proximity to the ocean and exposure to salt air. But because they were intentionally positioned with a clear trajectory to the sea, they enjoy steady winds, ones ideally suited for generation of wind power.
The now defunct cannon bases could serve as support for the turbine towers, and the interior of the batteries could house the electrical components for transforming the wind-generated direct current into alternating current to be used by neighboring buildings. This proposal is a kind of swords-to-plowshares approach for adaptive reuse of historic structures with little hope of being preserved by other measures.
The U.S. military built concrete bunkers along the Pacific and Atlantic Coasts from the late 1800s well into the twentieth century. Many of these historic structures were never called into service, but nonetheless were maintained until the late 1940s. Most of the batteries, as they are commonly called, have fallen into disrepair due to their proximity to the ocean and exposure to salt air. But because they were intentionally positioned with a clear trajectory to the sea, they enjoy steady winds, ones ideally suited for generation of wind power.
The now defunct cannon bases could serve as support for the turbine towers, and the interior of the batteries could house the electrical components for transforming the wind-generated direct current into alternating current to be used by neighboring buildings. This proposal is a kind of swords-to-plowshares approach for adaptive reuse of historic structures with little hope of being preserved by other measures.