Engineer Builds the World’s First Typhoon Turbine in the World That Could Power Japan for the Next 50 Years

Typhoons are nothing but pure disaster, said Atsushi Shimizu, an engineer by profession. However, he is of the view that this disastrous element could solve the green energy crisis facing Japan. This has propelled Shimizu to build the first typhoon turbine in the world, which is a strong wind turbine shaped as an egg-beater. Besides withstanding the massive force of a cyclone, it can also harness it.

The Atlantic Oceanographic & Meteorological Laboratory states that the kinetic energy produced by a full-blown typhoon is equivalent to 50 percent of the electrical generating capacity in the world. According to Shimizu, the energy generated from a single typhoon can supply the power requirements of Japan for at least 50 years.

Prior to the 2011 nuclear disaster at Fukushima Daiichi, nuclear power accounted for approximately 60 percent of primary energy in Japan by 2010. However, the killer tsunami and earthquake that took the lives of 19,000 individuals also resulted in the failure of three nuclear stations and thwarted the plans.

Currently, Japan imports nearly 84 percent of its energy needs, with a majority of its nuclear reactors remaining dormant. Researchers have tried to use wind power in the past but have not been successful at it.

According to Shimizu, Japan has installed wind turbines imported from Europe that are not built for areas prone to typhoons, and most of them are almost broken. For instance, a total of eight turbines were defunct during 2013's Typhoon Usagi.

The new typhoon turbine will likely be installed at the National Stadium, said Shimizu. The facility is currently being built for the 2020 Olympics. Shimizu is of the view that his ancestors sowed the seeds of nuclear power, which is why the country has never witnessed a blackout. And now he's responsible for making Japan's future even brighter.