Engineering teams from Video Display subsidiary companies, Z-AXIS and Lexel Imaging, played a key role in the recent successful pilot launch of Wind Energy Corporation's innovative vertical-axis turbine in Weslaco, Texas.

The new wind turbines will allow commercial sites, such as retail distribution centers or hospital campuses, to create their own renewable energy on site. The turbines, which generate 25-100 kilowatts of power, are small and quiet enough for use in urban settings.

By contrast, the massive propeller-style turbines used on large-scale wind farms, which generate megawatts of power, require locations with consistently high wind and feed electricity over long-distance transmission lines to the national power grid for distribution by the utilities.

Wind Energy Corp. used advanced composite materials to create the turbine, a 19-foot tall spiral sail that rotates around a vertical axis. Z-AXIS engineers designed and produced the control electronics, and Lexel provided the patented high-efficiency generator and brake design along with the support structure.

The companies installed the first turbine in a research and development program at the Weslaco, TX retail support center of H-E-B, one of the nation's largest food retailers.

"Both Z-AXIS and Lexel have a very deep grasp of the technologies they work with, combined with a dedication to supporting their customers -- even in the face of unreasonable demands and timelines," said Greg Thomson, COO of Wind Energy Corp. "They have worked closely with us to get the job done and we are looking forward to a continued relationship."

Z-AXIS designed the electronic controls to shut the turbine down in high-wind conditions, and the power circuitry to transform the variable power created by the turbine into clean line voltage for consumption. (Wind turbines create AC power with randomly varying voltage and frequency as the wind changes. Z-AXIS electronics convert this to a steady DC power and then to the standard three-phase 480 VAC power.)

Wind Energy relied on Z-AXIS engineers' expertise in power electronics and their proven ability to create electronics systems that operate reliably over wide operating temperature ranges in harsh outdoor environments. Ongoing design and production will take place in the company's manufacturing center near Rochester, NY.

Lexel created the turbine's generator, support structure and pneumatic brake system. The generator uses permanent magnets in an axial gap or "pancake" configuration to convert the mechanical energy of the rotating turbine to electrical energy.

Designed for high efficiency in the turbine's 25 to 100 kilowatt power range, the patented design delivers an impressive 95% to 98% efficiency. Delivery of this generator is a milestone in Lexel's ongoing research and development of high-performance generators for growth markets such as on-site wind energy.

Lexel engineers also designed and installed the supporting structure for the turbine and worked with Z-AXIS to integrate the electronics. Lexel's design and manufacturing facilities are located in Lexington, KY.

"We're pleased at the seamless way in which these two VDC companies collaborated to help develop this exciting new technology," said Ron Ordway, CEO of Video Display Corporation (VDC).

"We look forward to an ongoing partnership with Wind Energy and further developments from Lexel and Z-AXIS as we continue to create opportunities in fast-growing markets such as alternative energy solutions."