International. A French firm has developed a kind of wind tree, 26 feet high with 63 small leaves that can generate electricity, which already becomes an alternative to traditional wind turbines.
Called aeroleaves, the leaves of the tree—essentially micro wind turbines—work at speeds as low as 4.5 miles per hour (mph), regardless of wind direction. They are also quiet, so theoretically they can be installed along buildings, streets, or even in the backyard of the house.
Each tree ranges from $20,000 to $50,000 depending on the model, and can generate approximately 3,500 kilowatt hours (kWh) to 13,500 kWh annually. Manufacturer New Wind exceeds these costs with the ability to drive 15 street lamps, 83 percent of the electrical consumption of a typical family home, or an electric car for 10,168 miles in a year.
New Wind CEO Jérôme Michaud-Larivière said the tree is profitable after winds of 7.8 mph on average over a year. But he believes micro wind turbines could be key to making urban environments more sustainable. The goal of each tree is to generate electricity that is used in nearby infrastructure or services.
Michaud-Larivière argues: "Our concept of renewable energy production and on-site consumption is integrating silence, design and a harmonious connection with nature to develop better cities." New Wind is also developing other colors of aeroleaf, other types of tree bark and different branches, flowers and shrubs.
The first Wind Tree prototypes were created in 2013 and installed in Paris in 2015. The wind tree is also now available for commercial sale.
