This was actually a Windstream idea that can be re-hatched if we get good funding here.
This video is a different company but WSTI had this idea years ago.. way back in 2013. I just saw this on the news recently so looked for a video since I remembered the promo mailer piece with turbomills on the side of the road..
“Wind burst” created by vehicles passing by medians on roadways, through tunnels and over bridges can provide consistent wind power on a regular basis, and can generate an estimated 1MW for every 3 mile segment of installed Highway TurboMills ® . TurboMills ® set up on top of center dividers throughout the country can power highway lighting systems, call boxes, and emergency services as well as provide excess generated electricity back to the grid.
Energy harvested using natural wind currents and the “wind burst” or draft from moving vehicles can be harnessed to provide clean power to our electrical grids. This use of the TurboMills ® design will not only harness the untapped energy created by a passing vehicle but also translate the fossil fuel burned in an internal combustion engine into usable electrical energy. This application is estimated to generate utility scale power with minimal cost of transmission due to the proximity and ease of grid connection from the highway.
WindStream will deploy its highway version of the TurboMill ® technology in parallel with its current marketing focus of Municipalities and light industry. In doing so, the Company has secured pilot test sites that will benefit from the installation of the TurboMill ® system. (see appendix) These pilot installations will enable WindStream to collect valuable data that will be used to drive additional sales and installations of this new energy platform.
The steps needed to successfully execute this model are:
Develop a profile of a likely highway installation target
Geography
Political structure
Purchasing policy and practice
Existing green commitment
Existing green investment
Ability to easily engage with decision makers
Likelihood of funding or ability to assist in securing funding
Readily apparent decision process
Defined highway(s) (Circuito Exterior Mexiquense and Supervia Poniente, ) to be used as a pilot roadway to collect data
Site Analysis
Traffic Flow and Monitoring
Interaction between the TurboMill and the highway’s existing grid
Deploy the TurboMill ® system for the specific highway to be piloted
Environmental challenges
Safety issues
Power off-loading considerations
Secure a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the local utility (if needed)
Once this pilot has been undertaken and if successful, the Company will target other States, Countries, Utilities and Government institutions to market this new energy harvesting system and expand its reach and use cases. Just as vehicle draft on highways can drive TurboMills ® so can vehicles in tunnels (the Chunnel-26 miles in length), subway systems, trains, and rail systems.
WindStream has held discussions with potential clients for this product offering focusing on two business models for its highway product:
Lease highway right of ways from State and Local Highway Divisions and sell the generated power to the local utilities through a Power Purchase Agreement. This model provides a huge amount of decentralized energy to utilities in the areas where it is needed most and a new revenue stream for local governments.
Sell TurboMills ® on a “Per-Unit” basis to Departments of Transportation for use, and installation allowing the owner to sell the power created to a local utility.
There are over 4,000,000 miles of highway in the U.S. alone
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Everything I post is my own opinion and people should always do their own research and due diligence on any company they are looking at
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