In both the solar industry and the wind power industry, one key
aspect to decreasing costs and increasing efficiencies is
control. For solar power, control of the collector's orientation
to the sun is helpful. For wind power, control of the turbine's
orientation to the wind, as well as the speed the turbine is
allowed to rotate are two key factors. Control comes at a cost,
though; such systems require mechanics that can fail, raising
costs. Further, the sensor feedback systems to effectively
regulate such devices are still in their fledgling stages.
Purdue University researchers have taken a step forward to
solving the latter challenge with a new sensor/software system
that analyzes input from turbine blades to determine precise
information on wind conditions, and in turn yield precise
adjustments. The project was done in conjunction with Sandia
National Laboratories. Purdue doctoral student Jonathan White,
who led the research along with Professor Douglas Adams, states,
"The ultimate goal is to feed informat