ARCHITECTURAL WIND TURBINE DESIGN FOR IMPROVED
SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE

                                                                                    

A. P. GAWLIKOWSKA
M. MOY de VITRY
N. CHOKANI
R. S. ABHARI

ABSTRACT


The current trend in the energy sector to minimize fossil fuel dependency relies on the gradual growth of renewable energy sources. In order to ensure the further development of wind energy, which is economically efficient and technologically advanced, barriers to social acceptance must be mitigated. The use of Architecturally Designed Wind Turbines is proposed as a novel approach to this challenge. By adapting solutions from other fields of human activity, which traditionally address social interaction with man-made products and structures, the proposed approach uses experiences from architecture, urban planning and marketing, and incorporates them into a well-engineered wind turbine mechanical design and manufacturability. Taking account of the psychology of form, a novel architectural design for wind turbines is proposed, which respects aesthetical guidelines for proportions and gives sense of security and gradual scale buffer zone issues. The innovation in addressing the phenomenon of identity is based on additional social functionalities and a participatory design process. The structural integrity of the novel wind turbine design is superior to the traditional one in terms of decreased stresses, deflection and buckling, and increased load capacity. At the cost of additional weight and complexity, the new design allows for a slight improvement of the annual energy yield and increases the structural and mechanical life expectancy of the turbine.


Key words: wind power, acceptance of the local community, participation, architecture, engineering analysis, psychology of form, procedural justice