Wind Lens

The wind lens is a modification to the conventional wind turbine, developed by Professor Yuji Ohya at Kyushu University, intended to generate electricity more efficiently and with less disturbance to people and wildlife nearby than an open turbine. It works on the principle of a ducted fan, encircling the turbine rotor with a diffuser-shaped shroud that speeds up the air passing through the blades while also protecting the blades themselves from damage by birds or debris, and this speed-up can substantially increase the turbine own power output for a given rotor size. The wind lens remains under active development rather than a finished, widely deployed commercial product.