It’s difficult to promote new ideas in a field as old as wind energy. However, we have developed an innovative concept in this field.
It all started with a project to recycle plastic and the realisation that the processes available consumed a lot of energy. Recycling plastic is more expensive than using ‘new’ plastic because of the energy required for this operation. Recycling is fine, but recycling with renewable energy is preferable.
Our bold project has become a feasible one by combining our EOLIX wind power system, solar energy and 3D printing. The search for a renewable source of electricity with no intermittency and as few batteries as possible led us to work on wind power.
– Wind power. Wind power in an urban environment requires a very high level of efficiency in order to use air masses that are relatively weak and irregular in speed and direction. The catchment area needs to be large, but proportionally wider than it is high, while respecting the environmental rules imposed by the proximity of residential areas. 10 years of work using our own funds have resulted in the definition and patenting of a wind turbine system that is compatible with our recycling project.
– Plastic recycling. We insist on making our wind turbines from recycled plastic. Recycling plastic as is currently done is not cost-effective, because it costs more than ‘new’ plastic. By aiming for a specific product (such as a ‘mechanically perfect’ 3D filament with no colour constraints), we can eliminate the extremely costly transport chain.
– 3D printing . Plastic injection or moulding produces parts of 100% density. 3D printing produces the same parts with greater structural strength at a density of just 15%. This reduces the weight of the parts and the cost of raw materials, while increasing their mechanical strength.
– Solar energy. Combining solar power and wind power is a special feature of EOLIX. A solar structure covering our wind turbines increases electricity production and reduces intermittency.
– The factory. Our aim is to create energy self-sufficient plants. Shredding, dehumidification, extrusion and 3D printing are energy-intensive processes. Combining these operations in a building covered by a mixed solar and wind structure will enable us to produce and market by-products from our selected filaments (shredded selected plastic), reels of recycled 3D filament, wind turbines in kit form and, finally, projects for factories under licence of the same type for export, protected by our patent.
– Ecological recycling. A plant requires a closed and covered structure that can be integrated aesthetically into an urban environment without CO2 emissions, toxic fumes or noise pollution. Our project meets all these requirements perfectly, and can be integrated into the urban selective sorting scheme.
