Designer Heath Evdemon said the Wind Harvester would be able to make power from low and high wind speeds, unlike current turbines.
Most traditional three-blade turbines generate energy from wind speeds between about 30mph to 50mph.
A  large scale fully working model is expected to be installed in the Derbyshire Peak District

A  new way of generating wind energy which could see smaller, more efficient turbines on the landscape is being developed by a Derbyshire inventor with support from Nottingham Trent University.

Future Factory, the university’s sustainable design project, is helping Heath Evdemon, founder of Wind Power Innovations Ltd, to progress the first technology demonstrator of the Wind Harvester (a small system capable of generating power from a range of wind speeds). With blades of initially just one metre, the Wind Harvester has potential for both commercial and domestic use.

Traditional wind turbines typically have three blades which rotate around a horizontal hub at the top of a steel tower. Most generate maximum output at an approximate wind speed of 30mph and shut down to prevent storm damage at 50mph or above, causing reduced efficiency of some turbines.

The new Wind Harvester is based on a reciprocating motion that uses horizontal aerofoils similar to those used on aeroplanes. It is virtually noise-free and can generate electricity at a low speed, which may result in less opposition to new installations. It will also be operational at higher wind speeds than current wind turbines.

It can be made in any size up to approximately 15 metres across and only needs to be approximately half a metre off the ground in prominent positions such as hills and hillsides, rock outcrops, and on domestic, farm and industrial buildings and structures. All sizes can be broken down into handleable pieces so installation will not require the use of heavy machinery, which is particularly relevant to environmentally sensitive areas.