Energy grows on trees

The Arbre à Vent^® (“wind tree” in English) – the brainchild of Jérôme Michaud-Larivière, founder of the French start-up NewWind – stretches several meters into the sky. Its 54 microturbines look like leaves and can generate energy even at wind speeds of just two meters per second – while making next to no noise. At 2400 kilowatts hours per year, one tree can generate enough electricity, according to the company, to supply a four-person household for almost a year. The first prototype of this biomorphic wind turbine was installed in August 2013 on the western coast of France. A pilot lot of seven wind trees was installed at the end of 2015 and sales began in January 2016 in France, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland.