What is an Electric Pinwheel TM?
A unique type of wind turbine/generator with a patent-pending semi-rigid fabric blade, opening the way for personalizing your transition to renewable energy.
Designed for lower wind speeds and a safe coexistence with people and buildings, an Electric PinwheelTM helps to address zoning and regulation issues with a lightweight, flexible, and aesthetically pleasing construction.
5 Unique Features of an Electric PinwheelTM
1) Wide range of colors and patterns available, including the first transparent wind generator blade! 
- Standard blade sleeves made from durable SolarmaxÒ fabric from Invista, used for many years in the construction of flags and outdoor banners.
- Fabric resists UV sunlight to maintain color.
- Fabric vertical tail surface provides eye-catching space for logos and graphics.
- Transparent vinyl blade sleeves are available for higher-wind locations, year round tower use, and a low-profile installation.
2) Semi-rigid blade structure and lightweight construction eliminates the hazard of blade impact and greatly reduces the scale of support structure.
- The patent-pending fabric blade structure is supported by lightweight composite rods, which simply bend and slide within the rotating hub upon impact but remain rigid in the direction of wind flow.
- An Electric PinwheelTM can be stopped by hand when running at full speed....DO NOT try that with other wind turbines!
- The low weight of 9 lbs (4.1 kg) and unique blade design permits installation on a variety of tower and support structures in close proximity to people. This opens up the possibility for personal wind energy on a scale that everyone can enjoy.
3) Blade and generator designed for low wind range. 
Practically all commercial wind generators are designed to be the most efficient in wind speeds over 10 mph (4.5 m/s). This is due to the fact that the power available in the wind grows exponentially with the speed of the wind (see chart). This means that the electrical generator within a typical wind turbine is sized for higher speeds, the blade pitch and profile is tuned for high wind, and the overall construction is very robust to operate high in the air where wind is best.
This remains the most cost-effective approach to generate power and the path taken by large commercial scale wind turbines. However...
Many people in the world live in areas that are not deemed to be “ideal” for wind energy, and instead are left out of participating in wind power. An Electric PinwheelTM has features that are suited to gather the most power out of less-than-ideal conditions in residential settings:
- The generator within an Electric PinwheelTM was designed to extract the most out of winds lower than 10 mph, thereby giving up top end efficiency (the opposite of other commercial wind turbines).
- Lightweight hub and blade construction permits startup and useful power generation in just a light wind, much lower than other turbines using heavy rigid blades designed for higher wind operation.
- The standard base model includes a manual adjustment of the blade pitch and curve, allowing the user to adapt to wind conditions and extract more power from less wind. Higher wind conditions often occur over a period of time and the user can flatten out the blade pitch and curvature, letting the generator spin faster and generate more power.
- Optional automatic variable blade pitch and curve. A device inside the turbine hub automatically changes the blade pitch and flattens out the fabric curvature as it spins faster.
4) Portability.
- An entire Electric PinwheelTM (including tower) can be assembled in minutes for backpacking, hiking, or easy transportation to festivals and concerts.
- The blade and tail support rods slide out and can be placed inside one of the tower sections for protection during transport.
- The fabric blade sleeves and tail can be folded and stored inside the hub
- Total weight including tower is approximately 12 lbs (5.4 kg)...much lighter than solar panels of the same generating capacity.
- If installed at a residence or business an Electric PinwheelTM can be moved along with the owners, helping lower the risk of financial payback.
5) Low total cost to get started in wind power and renewable energy
Many are surprised at the total cost of “going green” when it comes to making your own energy. The hidden secret with wind power is the TOTAL cost of having a wind turbine. The cost of a large tower can easily equal the cost of the wind turbine at the top, and further costs come in the form of charge controllers, inverters, batteries, and distribution equipment. The total of cost is often prohibitive for most people to go completely off-grid.
An Electric PinwheelTM solution uses a modular approach to implementing renewable energy, with a lower starting point than current commercial wind turbines.
- Lightweight economy starter tower easily supports the 9 lb (4.1 kg) wind turbine and wind loading to a height of 10 ft (3 m). Support tower breaks down into sections for lower shipping costs. Higher tower kits are available for use with locally-supplied pipe for permanent installations.
- Power storage and use is through power charging packs available at many local retailers. These contain inverters and battery storage for small appliances, 120 VAC and 12 VDC.
- Power use can be transitioned over to renewable sources based upon high-use items such as computers, laptop and mobile phone charging, lighting, and small appliances. More capacity can be added over time as financially feasible and solar can be added for a robust hybrid solution.
Submit feedback
Specifications and Availability
About Us
