This Bladeless Wind Turbine Will be an Architectural Wonder

A common critique of wind energy is the unsightly design of the turbines required for power generation.

But a group of companies in the Netherlands is planning to finally do away with that criticism through a new architectural wonder, a 570-foot Wind Wheel set in the heart of Rotterdam.

Made of two massive rings and an underwater foundation, the Wind Wheel would incorporate other green technologies, like solar panels, rainwater capture and biogas creation. It would house 72 apartments and 160 hotel rooms, along with 40 cabins which move along a rail like a roller coaster.

If the project seems a little too futuristic to be real, well, that’s partly because it is. Much of the technology needed for the Wind Wheel is still several years away.

Duzan Boepel, the project’s principal architect, is aiming for 2025 as launch date for the world’s most beautiful wind turbine.

You can read more about Boepel’s project over at Grist.