At 42% capacity, one standard wind turbine in the United States can generate enough electricity to power 940 average homes every month. The world’s largest offshore wind farm, Hornsea 2 off England’s Yorkshire coast, can generate enough electricity to power around 1.4 million homes. And yet, some people don’t like the idea of wind turbines. Maybe they don’t like the way they look, or they aren’t comfortable with change?
“But kids know that renewable energy is the future, so we asked kids to redesign wind turbines to convert the haters.”
In this Kids Invent Stuff video, engineers Ruth Amos and Shawn Brown set out to build a small wind turbine in their back garden. They’re also inspired by 11-year-old Summer, whose Octopus Wind Turbine design aims to charm the self-declared wind turbine haters.
Will eight arms make the turbine more or less powerful? Does the shape of the tentacles-turned-turbine blades matter? What can they do with the clean energy that it generates? And what will the critics and skeptics think of this fun and friendly design?
See how they get this sustainable sea creature up and running. Then check out more projects on the Kids Invent Stuff YouTube channel, where Amos and Brown build ideas thought up by kids.
“We set a new invention challenge every month, each with a new theme and a new opportunity for kids to have their invention ideas brought to life on our YouTube channel! Our challenges our open to all children aged 4-11, anywhere in the World.”
Want to submit an inventive idea? Find their form here. They’re also on Instagram and Facebook.
Want to make your own wind turbine? Check out Hugh Piggott’s Wind Turbine Recipe Book.
Plus, watch more videos about wind turbines, including:
• How do wind turbines work?
• Can spinning kite turbines power your home?
• How to make a wind turbine, a science experiment
• Moving Windmills: The William Kamkwamba story.
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