University of Newcastle start-up Diffuse Energy is helping to improve telecommunication access in remote and bushfire prone areas.
With the help of a device called a diffuser, founders Joss Kesby, James Bradley and Sam Evans have discovered a way to double the energy production of standard wind turbines.
"Most people can understand a normal open-bladed wind turbine. A diffuser augmented wind turbine has a cylinder around the blades giving it an aerodynamic shape. What that diffuser does is it draws more air through the turbine, so it makes the turbine more powerful." Mr Bradley said.
"And so for a smaller size turbine, we can get a bigger output than a similarly sized turbine that doesn't have that diffuser in it."
Diffuse Energy, founded in 2018, features in today's Newcastle and Hunter Energy Evolution video, which can be viewed at Energyhunter.com.au or Newcastleherald.com.au
The series, an initiative of Out of the Square and Beyond Zero Emissions, showcases some of the most innovative and dynamic clean energy industry leaders, including MGA Thermal, Janus Electric, Energy Renaissance, SwitchDin, Ampcontrol, 3ME Technology, Milltech Martin Bright, Port of Newcastle, the Newcastle Institute for Energy Research and Kardinia Energy.
Suitable for the toughest off-grid environments, the scaled-down, lightweight turbines plug into existing telecommunications infrastructure, enabling rapid setup of turbines onto towers in hard-to-service locations.
The company's small turbines played a critical role in providing power to voice and data services for NSW Police, Rural Fire Services, State Emergency Services and NSW Health while catastrophic bushfires raged throughout the Mid North Coast and Coffs Harbour region in the summer of 2019.
