Our mission is to develop a Powerful High Torque, Low Cost/Low Maintenance Reliable turbine that operates at Lower Heights and Lower Wind Speed conditions. Some ways of lowering the cost and increase reliability is to use a proven reliable design as well as many off-the-shelf items plus adapt reliable, heavy duty items from other industries such as automotive and industrial applications. The low wind speed turbine prototype will be based on improvements to a design principle that was first introduced in 1922 by the Finnish inventor/engineer S J Savonius . The concept is in use today, and is known to be a reliable and low maintenance wind turbine. Our Improvements and changes to the design will offset negative features that have kept this turbine design from larger scale electric power production. 

	The Pinnacle Wind Power Turbine prototype is a variation on a simple vertical shaft Savonius design (like a wind speed indicator) using 30 gallon plastic drums cut in half. This turbine assembly sits on the end of an automotive type alternator, right where the pulley would go. The end housing of the alternator has been strengthened to take the extra load. The 5 scoop turbine assembly weighs about 65 lb which should not be to much side load for the alternator bearings.  The main innovative modifications to improve this design are not shown. Much more needs to be done to complete the turbine area. See a small clip below.
	You can see a better picture of the alternator here. This is an area that additional improvements will be implemented. Randy DuBois has  experience in alternator function and design. We will be using a special alternator designed by Randy that will produce considerably more power at very low rpm's. Another benefit of this design is that the head with the alternator does not rotate like horizontal axis turbines. The power wires from the alternator can be run directly down the center of the pole without the need to rotate when wind direction changes.
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