Wind Energy Development as a Capitalist Trojan Horse

May 11, 2024 by kris de decker Filed Under: Economy, Renewables, Wind Power, Wind turbines

“Wind energy development in Crete and Oaxaca is continuing the existing trajectory of energy extraction companies, resulting in an intensification of existing income-inequality, ecological degradation and social conflict, whilst spreading coercive cultural change. Based on these cases and critical (wind park) literature, we argue, that in actuality wind energy development represents a ‘Trojan horse’ for capitalism’s ongoing growth intensifying socio-ecological crisis through ‘accumulation by wind energy’. Wind parks serve as ‘Trojan horses’ for, amongst others, corporate land grabbing and temporarily mediating capitalism’s key contradictions.”

Quoted from: Siamanta, Z. C., & Dunlap, A. (2019). ‘Accumulation by Wind Energy’: Wind Energy Development as a Capitalist Trojan Horse in Crete, Greece and Oaxaca, Mexico. ACME: An International Journal for Critical Geographies, 18(4), 925–955. Retrieved from https://acme-journal.org/index.php/acme/article/view/1718

State of the Art of Windthermal Turbines

May 16, 2022 by kris de decker Filed Under: Heating appliances, Wind Power, Windmills

As Low-tech Magazine wrote in 2019, given the right conditions, a mechanical windmill with an oversized brake system is a cheap, effective, and sustainable heating system. Earlier this year, Malte Neumeier from the German Aerospace Center informed us that he and his team are investigating the technical and economical challenges of the technology.

“We started our research, with a birds eye techno-economic analysis and a scoping review. The results were promising, so we decided to build our own prototype. To refine our analysis, we are now searching for people, who already have experience with this technology. Maybe we could discuss some lessons learned. Do you have contact to any person experienced in wind-thermal energy applications? I would really appreciate this.” [Read more…]

Klopotec: a Bird-Scaring Wind-Rattle

October 23, 2018 by kris de decker Filed Under: Random, Wind Power

A “klopotec” or “klapotets” is a wooden mechanical device on a high wooden pole, similar to a windmill. It is used as a bird scarer in the vineyards of traditional wine-growing landscapes of Slovenia, Austria, and Croatia. The first written mentions of the technology date to the second half of the 18th century, whereas its oldest depictions date to the first half of the 19th century. [Read more…]

Windmill on Ice or Water Bearings Has Low Friction at Low Cost

April 26, 2018 by kris de decker Filed Under: Random, Wind Power, Wind turbines, Windmills


Simon Gripenberg, an artist from Finland, developed new types of vertical windmills, inspired by ancient Persian windmills and built from recycled materials. Most interestingly, the windmills float in water or spin on ice, so that Gripenberg manages to obtain low friction at low cost. [Read more…]

Wind Power System Made from Plastic Buckets

July 23, 2016 by kris de decker Filed Under: DIY, Random, Wind Power, Wind turbines, Windmills

“Vietnamese families living in slums along the Red River in Hanoi are using red plastic buckets and old printers to help light homes, cook meals and slash electricity costs by as much as a third. The recycled goods form the blades and motors of electrical generators that power old motorcycle batteries to illuminate lamps with a brightness equivalent to a 45-Watt light bulb. Though the output generated is small, it makes a significant difference for families previously denied power because they lived too far from a power station or had to ration supply because of the expense.”

More information at Reuters: Plastic buckets, broken printers shine light on Hanoi’s poor. Via Playground Magazine.

See all our low-tech windmill posts.

Different Types of Windmill Sails

November 1, 2014 by kris de decker Filed Under: Random, Wind Power, Windmills

different types of windmill sails compressed 700 pixels

François Porcher has translated our 2009 article “Wind Powered Factories: History (and Future) of Industrial Windmills” (“Des fabriques mues par le vent: histoire (et avenir) des moulins à vent“) and sends us the image above to complement the illustrations. For a high-resolution image, go here. More articles have been translated to French and other languages.

Previously: