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Sault inventor hopes a better-built blade will revolutionize wind energy

Company tests look good and it is now looking for partners to start manufacturing
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Dave Elgie, Reno Barban and Bob Caple of the Sault's Nu-Phase Technologies with a scale model of the new Trillium wind turbine blade, September 22, 2016. Darren Taylor/SooToday

A Sault Ste. Marie-based company is testing a new wind turbine blade design which they say has the potential to revolutionize the renewable energy industry.

The product, known as the Trillium turbine blade, could one day start sprouting up at wind turbine farms worldwide.

Mass production of the blade, with the right amount of financial backing, could also lead to local manufacturing jobs for the Sault, says the company.

“It’s going to make a significant difference to the wind turbine industry,” said Bob Caple, Nu-Phase Technologies vice-president of business development and investor relations.

“We believe our blade is far more efficient than present conventional blades, even though present cost structures in conventional wind farms have marginally been reduced.”

The Trillium turbine blade, with a different shape and numerous advantages over existing turbine blades, was designed by architectural engineer and inventor Reno Barban.

Barban, originally from Italy, grew up in Sault Ste. Marie and studied architectural engineering at the University of Wyoming.

He has owned his own firm and worked as an architect on projects for private clients, businesses, and all three levels of government in both Canada and the U.S.

“The shape of the blade reminded me of the trillium flower, so I called it the Trillium turbine blade,” Barban told SooToday at the Nu-Phase Technologies office on MacDonald Avenue.

Barban said he was inspired to develop a new, more efficient turbine blade design while travelling through the U.S. four years ago.

“There is a better way, I thought.”

Barban began experimenting with scale models of the Trillium turbine blade design in wind tunnel tests in Colorado.

Encouraged by initial test results, which showed the Trillium blade requires a lower start-up wind speed (10 miles per hour compared to 25 miles per hour for conventional blades), Barban has returned to live in Sault Ste. Marie as Nu-Phase Technologies president and CEO to further develop his invention.

“These blades will produce more energy, it’ll be good for the environment and reduce the dependence on fossil fuels,” Barban said.

“Existing turbines are not that efficient.”

“Even Germany, which has a high number of wind turbines, has not been able to eliminate fossil fuel generating stations, because existing wind turbines are not dependable enough,” Barban said.

“This project will be dependable enough so that people won’t have to depend on fossil fuel.”

Aware that current wind turbines have drawn a great deal of criticism because of lower-than-expected power production, high maintenance costs, claims of noise pollution and other issues, the Nu-Phase Technologies team says its Trillium turbine blade is the answer to those problems.

According to Nu-Phase literature, a case study has shown the Trillium turbine blade can produce 15.7 times the power produced by conventional turbines blades.

Nu-Phase also states its Trillium turbine blade is;

  • structurally more stable and does not transfer vibrations, cutting down on noise
  • less expensive to construct than conventional blades 
  • not in need of costly, complex turning control systems
  • able to prevent adverse effects of wind turbulence caused by wind turbine towers
  • able to turn with less wind and allow production of electricity in both high and low wind zones, meaning even smaller turbines can be more cost efficient
  • able to keep a turbine operating during periods of high wind speeds which require conventional turbines to shut down or be slowed down

Further tests were performed by scientists in London, Ontario in August at a research facility owned by the University of Western Ontario for independent, third party verification of Nu-Phase Technologies claims as to the efficiency of the Trillium turbine blade.

Results from those tests are expected soon, and the Nu-Phase Technologies team is confident those scientists will confirm the Trillium turbine blade is a revolutionary improvement on current wind turbine blade technology.

“The facility’s operations manager said the conventional blade is producing significantly less output than our blade,” Caple said.

Confident in the Trillium turbine blade’s abilities, the Nu-Phase team is already putting out the welcome mat, calling for interested parties to come forward, form a business partnership with the company and start mass-producing the turbines.

“We’re looking for someone to take the product and run further with it,” said Dave Elgie, Nu-Phase Technologies business manager.

“We’re from the Sault, and if we can find the expertise and the people with the ability to manufacture it here, that would be ideal," Elgie said.

“I would like to get this project started off in Northern Ontario, specifically Sault Ste. Marie because I grew up here and I want to do something for the area,” Barban said.

“It would be such a big contribution not only for our area but throughout the world, and I’d love to get it started here.”

“We would love to start a manufacturing facility in Sault Ste. Marie,” Barban said.

“Even if they don’t have the facilities to manufacture it here in the Sault, once we get it started, up and running and supported by business partners, we want a piece of it located in this city.”

“The business headquarters at least would be in Sault Ste. Marie, and the manufacturing could be in the district of Algoma,” Barban said.

“We definitely want some spinoff from this business for Sault Ste. Marie and Northern Ontario,” Caple said, adding Nu-Phase has made initial contact with a U.S. blade manufacturer and a Canadian-based German company.

“If this product goes the way we’re confident it will worldwide, the Sault will be a natural place to ship it out once we get our port,” Caple said.

“The bottom line is the design is unique, it’s overall function will meet and exceed all the issues concerning the conventional wind turbine blade,” Caple said.


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Darren Taylor

About the Author: Darren Taylor

Darren Taylor is a news reporter and photographer in Sault Ste Marie. He regularly covers community events, political announcements and numerous board meetings. With a background in broadcast journalism, Darren has worked in the media since 1996.
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