British Architects to Build Giant Wind Dam in Russia
- Nov 09, 2007 1:31 AM EST
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This rendering depicts a wind dam concept designed by a UK-based architecture firm Chetwood Associates. According to Ecotality, the structure is actually a large surface-bound sail, which functions by capturing the wind and turning it into renewable energy. The dynamic air is funneled through the sail down to a large turbine, taming the the power of territorial gusts.
It looks like Russia will be the first customer, placing a £2.5 million order for the wind dam to be constructed over a gorge at Lake Lagoda in the country's north-west. Energy production and export are the major driving force behind Russia's recent economic success; and if there one resource that's more abundant in Russia than fossil fuel, it's wind.
The energy output data has not yet been released. It is also unclear exactly how the colossal 75-foot edifice will interact with its natural surroundings. And while nature's wind tunnels present a unique opportunity to generate power renewably, constructing massive turbines might prove overly intrusive for the volatile ecosystems of naturally-formed gorges.