VOA慢速英语：风力涡轮机发电 或为鸟儿安全

Wind turbines are tall structures with large blades used to produce electricity.They are useful sources of low-cost, renewable energy. But they can also bedeadly to birds and bats. The turbines’ large blades turn quickly in the sky.Birds and bats sometimes fly into them and are killed.

Bladeless Wind-Power Generator is Friendly to Birds

But a new type of wind generator may offer an answer to that problem.

In 2002, Spanish inventor David Yanez saw a short film about the TacomaNarrows Bridge in the U.S. Strong winds caused the bridge to collapse in 1940. That incident was an example of the powerful vibrations wind cancreate when it blows past a long pole, like a car antenna or a stick of lightwood. It gave Mr. Yanez the idea for a new type of wind-energy generator. Hesaid he wanted it to include all the desired qualities.

He said it should be as low-cost as possible and need as little maintenanceas possible. He also said he wanted it to quick to set up.

Mr. Yanez and his friend Raoul Martin took the idea to an engineeringbusiness. But they were told their idea would never work. So, Mr. Yanez andMr. Martin built a small wind tunnel to experiment on their own.

They built a large working model of the generator in a field near theirworkspace. They called the equipment Vortex.

Mr. Yanez described how the Vortex generator works.​

He said there is a mast that serves like a blade on turbines. It is made from the same material as other generators. Wind causes the mast to oscillate, ormove back and forth. It does not spin around. So it creates no risk to birds andbats.

The Vortex generator creates about 30 percent less energy than a windturbine with blades. But it is lighter and less costly to build and maintain. It ismade mostly of plastic and has very few moving parts. The generator alsodoes not create noise.

The current prototype works at wind speeds ranging from 1.5 to 7 meters persecond.

The inventors say the next step is building a 12.5-meter-tall bladelessgenerator that could power small businesses or individual homes. They addthat the generator could also provide additional power to a larger power supplysystem.

Mr. Yanez expects the Vortex bladeless generator to be ready for general saleby 2017.

I’m Jonathan Evans.

VOA’s George Putic reported this story from Washington. Jonathan Evansadapted it for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.

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Words in this Story

blade– n. a flat long turning part that is used on some machines to push airor water

generator – n. a machine that produces electricity

vibration– n. a continuous slight shaking movement : a series of small, fastmovements back and forth or from side to side

maintenance – n. the act of keeping property or equipment in good conditionby making repairs, correcting problems, etc.

mast– n. a tall pole that supports or holds something

oscillate– v. to move in one direction and then back again many times

prototype– n. an original or first model of something from which other formsare copied or developed