Independent Tests: Vertical Axis Wind Turbine vs Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine

There's a growing debate over which type of wind turbine reigns supreme: vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT) or horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWT).
Many claim that VAWTs offer numerous benefits over their HAWT counterparts, leaving many potential buyers and renewable energy enthusiasts in a state of uncertainty about which turbine is truly the best choice for their needs.
This video delves deeper into independent tests to provide a clear, factual comparison between VAWTs and HAWTs, shedding light on the rated power, yearly electricity production and sound level. Both wind turbines have been extensively tested in the USA under the same test conditions by independent bodies.
U.S. Small Wind Certification Council (ICC-SWCC):
smallwindcertification.org
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Hi, my name is Patrick Juettemann, I am a German author and expert in the field of small wind power systems and renewable energy solutions. For around 15 years, I have been intensively involved with the market and technology for small wind turbines, solar power, electricity storage and systems for self-supply with clean energy.
Subscribe to this channel if you want to get honest information based on facts and science.

[@Xingqiwu387]

Windsunwisdom produces the best videos on youtube for those interested in wind turbines. Excellent work!

[@Nuts-Bolts]

A guy here in the UK who has been building and using vertical wind turbines for over thirty years said to me that he favours the less efficient vertical set up because it is easier to build them to last and maintain/service them. The hours other people wast over the years on messing about fixing horizontals makes them (in his experience) more expensive in the long run (or equates to a higher Total Cost of Ownership). He is retired now but many of his are still working on boat sheds and remote agricultural buildings all over Britain where reliability and convenience was the over riding factor. This meant they were expensive per watt back then compared to to-days solar arrays. So, what is best should be based on the particular application and all its other requirements. Also, if his customer had any old automotive batteries (fisherman and farmers etc., always have old batteries knocking around), he could often convert them into deep cycle batteries simply by changing the type of electrolyte. Thus it didn’t matter if they had a lower charge capacity as they were otherwise just scrap. The average wind speed here in the UK is about 16 mph.

[@WindSunWisdom]

My observation is different. Vertical axis wind turbines have not really been able to establish themselves on the market.

[@ajward137]

A useful summary, and good advice. I always wondered how much the manufacturers specs. left out!

[@tzenophile]

Excellent video, thanks! It would have been interesting with a test under more normal, sub-optimal conditions, like most potential users will have. Inland, some trees generating turbulence, etc.

[@WindSunWisdom]

In suboptimal conditions, you have to question a small wind turbine. Depending on what your goals are. If it is primarily a hobby and electricity generation is not so important, then you can also make compromises in terms of wind supply. But if you want to keep the cost of self-generated electricity within reasonable limits, then you definitely need a windy location.

[@tzenophile]

@@WindSunWisdomI do have a very windy location, but it is probably not free of turbulence. The question is how much I should invest and whether there will be return on investment.

[@zenmind4677]

@@WindSunWisdom What about the horizontal axis turbine seeking the wind in turbulent conditions? If this could make a big enough difference to the output it might be more efficient to have a VAWT. A second possible reason for choosing a VAWT could be in an area where the wind often blows at speeds above what the HAWT can handle and so forcing it to shutdown. I don't have any experience with wind but I think that I might have seen the latter argument being used.

[@zenmind4677]

I have been tempted to get a wind turbine to top up our batteries in Winter when the PV is not enough. I couldn't find any turbine that could generate enough without installing it very high. So, we bought more cheap PV and switched to using wood in the Winter.

[@WindSunWisdom]

Good decision. You can't force a windy location

[@Deiphobuzz]

Their website says the rotor is 4 meters tall and 4 meters diameter. Its MUCH larger than the skystream. The total surface area is more like 16m2 compared to the skystream.

[@invisiblesurfer]

Very helpful video thanks so much. I own a farm in a rural area (technically "on grid" but in between two small towns, ie with no other buildings nearby). According to the local meteorology station in the nearest town, the general area receives on avg 3m/s wind - that said, and in my personal experience, the exact spot where farm is the wind is significantly stronger, at least 2x as strong; again, my estimation. Important to point out that there are already several state owned large wind turbines scattered around the area. My farm is on a hill with an elevation from 130 to 90 meters above sea level with no obstruction, so my question is: would a small turbine still require that 10 meter high position? I would like to keep everything discreet an in line with the surrounding landscape. Thanks again.

[@WindSunWisdom]

Every location has its own conditions. Unfortunately, I can't give a general answer.

[@robertgoy9367]

good morning just watching your video i have a tesup 7kw hera wind turbine can you help i am trying to get some dater about them as the one i have do,s not spin and i am not sure why

[@penguindragonts5152]

Fine analysis of current market; do consider the general pros are that wind balls can be arrayed denser with (unmeasured) benefit and accessible to the ground in comparison to wind towers. Imagine if I told you my 20%-40% less efficient design can be placed 10x more: thats 6-8x the output of the single more efficient model and would change the general efficiency understanding, but again less of a single buyer perspective and more general analysis comparison importance. (I dont know the specific array density of these models just general important analysis consideration with windmills. 🐧🐉)

[@WindSunWisdom]

An honest answer: a lot of claims are made in the field of small wind power. The decisive factor is evidence in the form of independent test results. I primarily deal with wind turbines that have proven themselves in practice.

[@tokracro]

Very nice video and very interesting channel !! I have a question.. if I want to measure wind over period of a year, just to see if my location is OK, what would I need , some cheap option, if you have something on mind ?

[@WindSunWisdom]

You could check this company from Scotland: en.windlogger.eu/collections/small-wind-turbine-data-loggers

[@tokracro]

@@WindSunWisdomThank you for your answer. This is a bit too much money for me to invest, just for test. Do you know of any DIY solutions, or something involving RPI or something like that ?

[@peterkoolwijk439]

Thank you. Very informative. Another thing not mentioned here but worth looking into: how big is the risk for birds being hacked to death by the blades of the windturbines? It somehow seems that horizontal blades here cover a bigger area, whereas the vertical axis centers more around it's own mast and are therefore more visibly and less dangerous?

[@WindSunWisdom]

As far as I know, studies have shown that small wind turbines are not a great danger to birds and bats. A thousandfold bigger problem is free-roaming domestic cats.

[@newrenewableenergycontrol5724]

What is the life expectancy of each unit, and what causes them to die? Kind of important information, no?

[@WindSunWisdom]

A high quality wind turbine might last 20 years or longer.

[@newrenewableenergycontrol5724]

@@WindSunWisdomWhen 'high quality' includes concrete, steel, and fiberglass, even 30 years ROI is unacceptable!

[@benb3928]

get to it already..

[@anthonymartin2412]

Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine 25 mph wind you may get 2-5 watts from a 400 watt turbine there shit. it will never charge a 12 volt battery. 2-3 volts ac. you never get pay back of fan and mask. wait for the windmill fan that thhey do not said 400 watt ebay and others is max wind speed. over 100 mph

[@joetkeshub]

You're a clone of a colleague of mine in Stuttgart... with the very same accent and weirdly enough, deeply convinced that US technical validations are UNBIASED! 😆That's so naive! Industrial considerations are paramount, meaning that a better technical solution may be beaten as it's been already the case with heat engines as a matter of fact. Once I asked him how trustworthy are Tüv tests and certifications: Are they to be less reliable than their american counterparts? It was an inner national struggle for my colleague... Oh Gosh! Corporates can bring down the most wonderful ideas. It's appalling that you ignore it! Hans!🤣😂

[@yvanpimentel9950]

the winner is the old stile water pump ,made of steel slow moving but powerful.

[@WindSunWisdom]

Yes, an ingenious technology. I will make a video in the future.

[@joetkeshub]

I can't take your references for granted Hans! They're not biblically reliable!

[@joetkeshub]

Has anyone told you that your exposé look like an East German communiqué? btw, there's a hole in your chest... Removing green background may kill you🤣😅😆

[@MrRobertjparsons]

Strange little haters in the comments, maybe its a Euro thing ? There's a new pinwheel horizontal axis wind turbine that's all the range now, would like to see a sq. meter to sq. meter comparison there too. Thanks

[@WindSunWisdom]

Which turbine do you mean?