The lightweight Puffin produces zero carbon emission and can reach speeds of 150 mph.

Reducing the peak daytime demand for electricity can cut cooling costs 20-40%, source energy and emissions are reduced and construction of new power plants and transmission lines can be delayed or eliminated.

This is a great idea, and makes wind power that much more efficient!

This placement further away from coastlines would be of great benefit to the shipping industry, fisheries, bird life and tourism.

“Taking wind turbines to sea presents new opportunities,” said Ms Gjorv, of Statoil’s new energy division.”The wind is stronger and more consistent and areas are large.”

Helge Aagaard Madsen, who is a research specialist on the project, explains, “Providing the blade with a movable trailing edge it is possible to control the load on the blade and extend the life time of the wind turbine components. This is similar to the technique used on aircrafts, where flaps regulate the lift during the most critical times such as at take-off and landing. If the results confirm our estimated performance, we will test the rubber trailing edge on a full-scale wind turbine within a few years.”

Research shows built-in rubber cavities provide the desired movement of the trailing edge, when the cavities are being put under pressure by air or water. The rubber cavities thus save the turbine blades from wear-and-tear.

To offset these loses, Dong Energy, a Danish utility company has found a way to utilize this excess wind power. The company, one of Northern Europe’s leading energy groups, has plans to build a nationwide system to charge electric cars with the surplus wind power. Partnering with a California-based company, a time-line has been put in place to have the infrastructure to support a country-wide electric car system by 2010.

Denmark has built stronger connections to nearby Germany, Sweden and Norway so it can sell excess electricity on windy days. When it blows in Denmark for example, Norway buy cheap power to supplement their own hydropower resources.

“We have to keep investing heavily in the grid to make sure we can transport the electricity from wind when and where it is most needed,” said Peter Jorgensen, vice president of the state-owned company that runs Denmark’s grid.

The solid, carbon-fibre sails provide thrust, while the design enables the land craft to travel at between 3 to 5 times the real wind speed, depending on the surface traction. This wind-powered car recently clocked 60 mph during a preliminary speed trial in the Australian desert.

If you’re thinking about cruising the strip in this puppy though – think again. The car is developed for speed and novelty, not necessarily designed for the mainstream market. For cars you can be seen in, check out these eco-friendly vehicles.

Along with the V-wing turbine, the other funding recipients include research into a floating offshore wind turbine for use in away from the coast in the ocean, research into reliability problems that afflict many current wind turbine designs as well as a project deploy and test a 1MW tidal turbine.

The total funding for all four projects is $29 million.

ETI is a public-private partnership with deep pockets as there is $1.6 billion potential available to invest in eco tech energy solutions. The British government has declared its commitment to reducing greenhouse emissions by 80 percent by 2050 from the levels it recorded in 1990. This sort of large scale investment in wind energy research and development has the potential to not only impact Britain’s environmental future, but all nations who could benefit from harnessing wind energy.