Wind turbines inspired by owls and maple seeds

“For centuries small wind turbines have done specific jobs for farms and villages, catching the breeze to pump water or mill flower. Now big turbines do one big job: generating electrical power for millions of tasks across entire cities. And they do this without the release of greenhouse gases.

“But even modern wind turbines could be better, more efficient and less disruptive to their surroundings.”

This Biomimicry Institute video demonstrates how industrial design firm Biome Renewables uses billions of years of nature’s research and development to create two engineering innovations for wind turbine technology. This approach to design is called biomimicry.

Biomimicry is learning from the natural world and applying those long-tested adaptations to make our human creations smarter, more efficient, and more sustainable.

For example, a noisy turbine blade slicing through the air creates chaos in its wake; why not take a cue from the silent flight of owls? The Biome Renewables team mimicked the specialized fringe on owl feathers to muffle the noise. By adding serrated edges to turbine blades, something they call FeatherEdge, they’ve managed to slash noise levels by a whopping 50 to 80%, all while boosting turbine efficiency.

Inspired by the graceful spin of falling maple seeds, the designers also reduced the turbines’ energy loss from swirling air currents. Their PowerCone channels airflow back onto the blades, harnessing more power from the wind. Like those maple seeds swirling gracefully in the breeze, this innovation increases turbine torque, ramping up efficiency and electricity generation.

“By looking to nature, companies like Biome Renewables can find elegant solutions that maximize the power of the wind while minimizing any negative impacts on the environment.”

Think of biomimicry as nature’s wisdom guiding us to find more effective ways to design for our challenges. Learn more about biomimicry at biomimicry.org.

Then learn more about biomimicry, owls, feathers, aerodynamics, seed dispersal, and more with these handpicked videos on TKSST:
• How a kingfisher, an owl, & a penguin helped redesign Japan’s Shinkansen
• The silent flight superpower of a stealthy predator
• What makes owls so quiet & so deadly for prey?
• Think Like a Tree: Problem solving with nature’s best ideas
• How do wind turbines work?
• Birds gliding through helium bubbles reveal an aerodynamic trick
• Paper airplane aerodynamics explained by a world record-setting designer