Mainly inspired by the Chispito Wind Turbine and the Make Magazine version of the former (see the PDF), we decided to make a wind turbine for the Ecuadorians. Since all the turbines I mentioned have cool names, let us name our Ecuadorian turbine in a similar fashion: The IBee Turbine (the name might still need some work).

The General Idea

We wanted to make a wind turbine from easy-to-find materials and using simple tools. The rationale for this is that the generator should be easily reproducible by anyone. This also meant making sure the Ecuadorians could find all the materials locally so they could easily remake it, should they want to (and they should!). Finally, we are not experts and do not have access to a super advanced machine shop, so keeping it simple (stupid) was the way to go.

In the end, and almost by accident, we decided to use mainly PVC and steel pipes and fittings for the entire construction. Keep reading the upcoming posts to discover our design.

Turbine Design Sketch

Turbine Design Sketch

Coming up: Part 2: Design and Materials

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