News

Japanese Wind Turbine Manufacturer Entering U.S. Market

A state-of-the-art vertical axis wind turbine will soon be the newest learning tool for faculty and students at the Montana State University Billings College of Technology thanks to a partnership between the university, a renewable/sustainable energy consulting company and a Japanese technology firm.

Ground was broken on Friday, Sept. 3 for what will be a 42-foot, 10-kilowatt wind turbine. The turbine, designed by Taisei Techno Co. of Japan, will be used by faculty and students the MSU Billings College of Technology who will enroll in the new Sustainable Energy Technology program.

“This is an incredible opportunity for our students,” said John Cech, dean of the MSU Billings COT. Cech said faculty and students will be able to get hands-on experience with cutting edge sustainable energy technology. The wind turbine will be just one of the facets of the new Sustainable Energy Technology program, but will be the most visible.

The wind turbine will go up in stages over the next three months, said Rhyno Stinchfield, president of GreenWorld Partners, a renewable energy consulting company. Stinchfield is the U.S. agent for Taisei Techno, which manufactures vertical axis wind turbines and is introducing its technology to the U.S. market.

A study by Harvard University, released last summer, said Montana and Kansas are second only to Texas for having the greatest potential in the nation for wind power. The report shows Montana so rich in wind that it has the potential to produce 4,700 terawatt hours of wind-generated electricity, about 370 times the state’s current total retail electricity sales.

Stinchfield, who has over 30 years of experience in the renewable/sustainable energy fields, said that Taisei wants to help get wind technology education off the ground and will work with the COT students and faculty on the project. The company also has committed to a nationally recognized certification program offered by the Small Wind Certification Council. This council tests wind turbines to insure that the manufacturers are publishing accurate information about the specifications and electrical output of their units.

Taisei has been dedicated for more than 50 years to railway technology and is well known for its high-tech products for railway systems, including Shinkansen (the Japanese bullet train). Taisei has been determined to develop ecologically friendly products centered on its unique vertical-axis wind turbine and the contract with MSU Billings is part of its commitment to North America market.

Eventually Taisei plans on developing several other sized mid-size turbines for urban, agricultural, commercial and institutional sectors, Stinchfield said.

Taisei Techno Co. can be found at http://www.taiseix.net/en_news/index.html

Contact:

Rhyno Stinchfield, President, GreenWorld Partners, +1.406.651.8898

[email protected]

Home

Sorry, we couldn't find any posts. Please try a different search.

Leave a Comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.