Wind turbines under bridges could be tomorrow’s renewable energy solution

A study conducted by a group of European researchers has proven that placing wind turbines under tall bridges is an effective solution for generating renewable energy.

The research was conducted at the Juncal Viaduct in the Canary Islands. Here, British and Spanish scientists measured the energy of the wind blowing underneath the bridge to determine if it was enough force to move large-scale wind turbines and produce power.

A bit more specifically — actual wind turbines were not used (yet). Instead, the team used computer simulations to calculate the feasibility of the idea, and porous disks to represent the wind turbines and evaluate the air resistance; these disks were also used to test different kinds of configurations. 

“As natural, the more surface is swiped by the rotor, the more power can be produced; however, it was seen that in small turbines the power rate per square meter is higher”, explains researcher Oscar Soto, who worked with his colleagues in Kingston University (London) on this project. 

Diving into the results a bit, the team determined that if just produced power was evaluated, the best solutions would be installing two wind turbines with different sizes; doing this would embrace the maximum available space between the bridge’s pillars. Another solution tested that also proved effective would be a matrix of smaller turbines. Not only would this maximize space, it would be super-efficient, especially when you take into consideration things like power production per surface unit and low weight. When it comes to viability, though, you’d be best served to go with two medium-sized wind turbines. It’s the approach that Soto believes will, come the end of the day, end up working best. 

Numerically speaking, the evaluated power observed at the Juncal Viaduct was about 0.25MW per turbine. So, with two turbines working next to one another, the total power output would be about 0.5MW, which classifies the solution in the medium-power range. 

“This would be the equivalent to 450-500 homes average consumption”, Soto explains, adding: “This kind of installation would avoid the emission of 140 tons of CO2 per year, an amount that represents the depuration effect of about 7,200 trees”.

Soto’s study has been published in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. It’s also been framed in PAINPER, a public infrastructures exploitation plan to boost the use of renewable energies. 

“PAINPER is an initiative which emerges from the difficulties seen in the implantation of this kind of energies in heavily built-up territories, as well as protected areas with low available space for new installations,” says Aday C. Martín, manager at ZECSA, who adds that he believes renewable energy produced in wind turbines under viaducts could be added to energy from other wind, solar, geothermal and biomass installations. 

Via EurekAlert