Fuji Heavy, Hitachi develop new type of wind turbine

Japan’s Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. and Hitachi Ltd. have developed a new type of wind turbine, which is set to point in the opposite direction as a typical turbine. This new turbine, the companies said, has the same rated power capacity as a regular turbine but is capable of generating a few percent more electricity, as it is equipped with a downwind rotor. The typical wind turbine has an upwind rotor, meaning that the rotor is fitted in front of the tower, like the propeller of a plane, and the blades rotate facing into the wind. A downwind rotor fits behind the tower and so allows wind to be better able to strike the turbine blades. (March 6, 2009)