Expendable energy is a global issue that continues to provoke young entrepreneurs to search for new and creative ways to create renewable energy sources. Many have undertaken to transform the energy market through solar energy, hydroelectric power, biomass and wind turbines, but few have tried to innovate within these renewable sources. Shawn Frayne, the developer and founder of Humdinger Wind Energy, has revolutionized the wind power industry through his wind belt technology. Instead of the traditional, inefficient and unattractive wind turbines, Frayne’s wind belt is microscopic in comparison (ranging in sizes from a couple centimeters- to a couple meters), and 30 times more efficient, edging even into the average price of coal.
Frayne came up with the idea for the windbelt while on a trip to Haiti, in which he was trying to convert agricultural waste into burnable charcoal. While developing this technology he realized that there was a need for producing low cost energy to provide electricity to impoverished areas. A solar energy plant was out of the question, so the next logical option was wind power. Frayne’s wind belt uses a membrane stretched across a bowed surface that oscillates back and forth when a wind current travels past it. This oscillation creates a current that is transformed into electro-magnetic energy, which is capable of generating a considerable amount of power.
What impresses me the most about Frayne’s innovative style, is not as much the idea he had for the design, but the way he came up with his idea. Frayne had a mind set on a problem, and had a heart that was passionate about finding a solution. He began by focusing on a general need, cheap sustainable energy, and eventually narrowed this need into a specific solution: wind energy.
Frayne was driven by his desire to help, it almost seems he was in desperation. I think that this is one of the best ways to innovate, keep brainstorming until an idea is sparked. Very cool find Dan, I wonder if this type of wind power technology will soon replace typical windmills.
This reminds me of the book The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. Its about a boy who created a windmill and brought electricity to his family in Africa. Its great to see someone creating sustainable energy sources around the globe.
So cool how he not only recognized a problem, but went and thoroughly thought out the best and most reasonable way to solve it.
The fact that it is more efficient than turbines may catch a few eyes, but if the price rivals that of coal, then that makes it a possible revolutionary idea. I watched a video on this and the inventor said that he first started toying with the idea in middle-school and now it just fully developed. The slow hunch is real!