archimedes_wind_turbineFirst off, this VT article, by Petr Lvov, entitled, "Energy Wars in Europe", might be a read some of those into the "energy geopolitics" might like.

Second off, I say, "COME ON... give me a break!!!!"

"'Energy' has nothing to do with politics, or oil, or gas, or coal, or drilling, or shale-ing (fracking), or ANY of that." Burning "crap" which makes more "crap" and a tiny amount of energy and puts money in the banks of the very few is absolute BS. And I cringe when I hear any discussions about the "world energy situation", and they automatically-like-drones start talking about oil reserves, coal deposits, natural gas, and even biofuels. That paradigm is over.

Energy just is. And the means of transmuting energy from one form to another, with minimal disruption and/or interruption to the planet, are here... NOW. Solar, wind, QEG, cold fusion, and all the free energy devices that are out there, or soon to be.

This Archimedes Liam F1 Urban Wind Turbine (and a mini one soon to be) is just one item. But I enjoyed reading about it. And maybe you will too.

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The most efficent wind turbine
June 7, 2014

The Archimedes is a new windmill design meant to power small homes and apartments. With an 80 percent efficiency ratio, will this solve the world's energy problems?

Renewable energy is not necessarily free, as it does come with some costs, in terms of money spent for equipment, and other environmental costs. For example, windmills do not operate at 100 percent efficiency, because the windmill structure itself blocks the movement of the wind, and the moving parts are subject to aerodynamic drag and friction. In theory, a windmill can generate up to 59 percent maximum efficiency, which goes down through time due to wear and tear.

And then there's the turbine noise, which may not be ideal in a residential setting.

A new windmill design loosely based on Archimedes's screw principle, aims to change this, however. A Dutch startup aptly named The Archimedes has re-worked the concept of the windmill to move away from the traditional concept of using the pressure differential between the front and rear of the device to move the rotors.

The Liam F1 Urban Wind Turbine, modeled after a Nautilus shell, measures about 1.5 meters wide and weighs 75 Kg — an ideal size for installation in a residential setting. The turbine is rated to achieve an efficiency "80 percent of the maximum that is theoretically feasible."

The Archimedes Liam The most efficent wind turbine

According to the creators, the device is designed to provide enough electricity to power an apartment or small home. "The Liam F1 generates an average of 1,500 kilowatt-hours of energy [per year] at a wind-speed of 5 m/s [16.4 ft/s], which resembles half of the power consumption of a common household." The Liam can even adjust to wind direction, which enables it to maximize power generation even with changing conditions.

The Liam is priced at Eur 3,999 or about US$ 5,450 and will start retailing by July 1st. The Archimedes says it has sold 7,000 units in 14 countries so far. The company says it has undertaken field tests for efficiency and power generation "over 50 times," in which it has achieved its rated output and efficiency.

At this price and projected efficiency, will The Archimedes' Liam help address the need for better renewable energy sources?