hi everybody I’m dawn white I’m one of the founders
I’m dawn white I’m one of the founders
I’m dawn white I’m one of the founders and the chief technology officer of Akio
and the chief technology officer of Akio
and the chief technology officer of Akio Energy and I’m thrilled to be here to
Energy and I’m thrilled to be here to
Energy and I’m thrilled to be here to talk to you today about what we’re doing
talk to you today about what we’re doing
talk to you today about what we’re doing and how it’s going I’m especially
and how it’s going I’m especially
and how it’s going I’m especially thrilled about our new direction in wind
thrilled about our new direction in wind
thrilled about our new direction in wind energy because I hope they had the
energy because I hope they had the
energy because I hope they had the chance to talk at the first TEDx Detroit
chance to talk at the first TEDx Detroit
chance to talk at the first TEDx Detroit and that was 7 years ago 2009 and we
and that was 7 years ago 2009 and we
and that was 7 years ago 2009 and we might not have been here today but
might not have been here today but
might not have been here today but nearly everything we thought could
nearly everything we thought could
nearly everything we thought could happen back then has happened and it’s
happen back then has happened and it’s
happen back then has happened and it’s great to be able to talk about how we
great to be able to talk about how we
great to be able to talk about how we got there and where we’re going next
got there and where we’re going next
got there and where we’re going next back in 2007 we had this vision that you
back in 2007 we had this vision that you
back in 2007 we had this vision that you could make wind energy far more
could make wind energy far more
could make wind energy far more acceptable available and friendly by
acceptable available and friendly by
acceptable available and friendly by making it silent stationary and not
making it silent stationary and not
making it silent stationary and not endangering wildlife with it so we’re
endangering wildlife with it so we’re
endangering wildlife with it so we’re working on a technology called EHD wind
working on a technology called EHD wind
working on a technology called EHD wind energy which has no moving parts unlike
energy which has no moving parts unlike
energy which has no moving parts unlike a turbine which has very high loads on
a turbine which has very high loads on
a turbine which has very high loads on it so it needs expensive complex
it so it needs expensive complex
it so it needs expensive complex machinery and you need a new system
machinery and you need a new system
machinery and you need a new system every time you want to change the output
every time you want to change the output
every time you want to change the output of it so you have low volumes with all
of it so you have low volumes with all
of it so you have low volumes with all those expensive materials you have a lot
those expensive materials you have a lot
those expensive materials you have a lot of cost and complexity
of cost and complexity
of cost and complexity it’s like making airplanes it’s very
it’s like making airplanes it’s very
it’s like making airplanes it’s very expensive
expensive
expensive instead with electro hydrodynamic wind
instead with electro hydrodynamic wind
instead with electro hydrodynamic wind energy you make a system that’s composed
energy you make a system that’s composed
energy you make a system that’s composed of identical panels all those panels are
of identical panels all those panels are
of identical panels all those panels are the same they’re made from ordinary
the same they’re made from ordinary
the same they’re made from ordinary materials in very large volumes and
materials in very large volumes and
materials in very large volumes and they’re made using the kind of
they’re made using the kind of
they’re made using the kind of automotive heritage advanced
automotive heritage advanced
automotive heritage advanced manufacturing technology we have in
manufacturing technology we have in
manufacturing technology we have in plants all around our area using the
plants all around our area using the
plants all around our area using the same facilities materials and people
same facilities materials and people
same facilities materials and people that we use for automotive today so
that we use for automotive today so
that we use for automotive today so besides making wind power friendlier and
besides making wind power friendlier and
besides making wind power friendlier and more sustainable we actually can make it
more sustainable we actually can make it
more sustainable we actually can make it cheaper and more available that way as
cheaper and more available that way as
cheaper and more available that way as well and the other part of our mission
well and the other part of our mission
well and the other part of our mission is really to create great jobs in
is really to create great jobs in
is really to create great jobs in manufacturing here in Detroit southeast
manufacturing here in Detroit southeast
manufacturing here in Detroit southeast Michigan all over our state and even
Michigan all over our state and even
Michigan all over our state and even on the Midwest so how does that work
on the Midwest so how does that work
on the Midwest so how does that work well the HT wind energy is based on a
well the HT wind energy is based on a
well the HT wind energy is based on a different idea it’s a little bit like an
different idea it’s a little bit like an
different idea it’s a little bit like an engineered thunderstorm we use wave
engineered thunderstorm we use wave
engineered thunderstorm we use wave energy to pump water up our panel up the
energy to pump water up our panel up the
energy to pump water up our panel up the pole to our panel and then that water
pole to our panel and then that water
pole to our panel and then that water comes out as tiny little positively
comes out as tiny little positively
comes out as tiny little positively charged droplets out of very small tubes
charged droplets out of very small tubes
charged droplets out of very small tubes that are inside that system every time a
that are inside that system every time a
that are inside that system every time a positively charged droplet leaves a lot
positively charged droplet leaves a lot
positively charged droplet leaves a lot of electrons get left behind and if you
of electrons get left behind and if you
of electrons get left behind and if you have billions and billions of droplets
have billions and billions of droplets
have billions and billions of droplets leaving all those electrons behind the
leaving all those electrons behind the
leaving all those electrons behind the very large electric field emerges that
very large electric field emerges that
very large electric field emerges that the wind has to do a lot of work against
the wind has to do a lot of work against
the wind has to do a lot of work against and it dries the system to high voltage
and it dries the system to high voltage
and it dries the system to high voltage as it gets to high voltage you have the
as it gets to high voltage you have the
as it gets to high voltage you have the opportunity to plug it into the grid and
opportunity to plug it into the grid and
opportunity to plug it into the grid and create a wind energy high-voltage
create a wind energy high-voltage
create a wind energy high-voltage direct-current generator out of it seems
direct-current generator out of it seems
direct-current generator out of it seems easy but haha right sounds so easy but
easy but haha right sounds so easy but
easy but haha right sounds so easy but no it’s actually like this for a long
no it’s actually like this for a long
no it’s actually like this for a long time this technology was investigated in
time this technology was investigated in
time this technology was investigated in the 60s and 70s people couldn’t make it
the 60s and 70s people couldn’t make it
the 60s and 70s people couldn’t make it work and why was that well they had a
work and why was that well they had a
work and why was that well they had a lack of insight you know droplets are
lack of insight you know droplets are
lack of insight you know droplets are invisible charges are invisible electric
invisible charges are invisible electric
invisible charges are invisible electric fields are invisible the wind is
fields are invisible the wind is
fields are invisible the wind is invisible imagine in debugging an IC
invisible imagine in debugging an IC
invisible imagine in debugging an IC engine in the late 19th century if
engine in the late 19th century if
engine in the late 19th century if everything was clear it’d be a lot
everything was clear it’d be a lot
everything was clear it’d be a lot harder right so we get that insight we
harder right so we get that insight we
harder right so we get that insight we went to big models so that we have
went to big models so that we have
went to big models so that we have better testing and those big models are
better testing and those big models are
better testing and those big models are computer generated models you know
computer generated models you know
computer generated models you know they’re computers back then you know
they’re computers back then you know
they’re computers back then you know your iPhone has way more power in them
your iPhone has way more power in them
your iPhone has way more power in them than a room size computer had back then
than a room size computer had back then
than a room size computer had back then right and they had no visualization
right and they had no visualization
right and they had no visualization whereas for us we want droplets to get
whereas for us we want droplets to get
whereas for us we want droplets to get pushed away from our source what you’re
pushed away from our source what you’re
pushed away from our source what you’re looking at here is a cross-section of a
looking at here is a cross-section of a
looking at here is a cross-section of a part of our system and that turbulence
part of our system and that turbulence
part of our system and that turbulence you’re seeing there is actually what the
you’re seeing there is actually what the
you’re seeing there is actually what the air looks like when it comes out of our
air looks like when it comes out of our
air looks like when it comes out of our panel it doesn’t that’s not what we
panel it doesn’t that’s not what we
panel it doesn’t that’s not what we wanted to look like right but now we
wanted to look like right but now we
wanted to look like right but now we know it and so we can fix it and we did
know it and so we can fix it and we did
know it and so we can fix it and we did so we got rid of this turbulence we can
so we got rid of this turbulence we can
so we got rid of this turbulence we can also fix our electric fields by looking
also fix our electric fields by looking
also fix our electric fields by looking at them there’s a powerful powerful tool
at them there’s a powerful powerful tool
at them there’s a powerful powerful tool for us and moving forward and move
for us and moving forward and move
for us and moving forward and move forward we did we’ve been able to test
forward we did we’ve been able to test
forward we did we’ve been able to test outdoors and we went from making no
outdoors and we went from making no
outdoors and we went from making no power or less than no power which is
power or less than no power which is
power or less than no power which is where people were 40 years ago to
where people were 40 years ago to
where people were 40 years ago to gradually see
gradually see
gradually see our new experiments that were informed
our new experiments that were informed
our new experiments that were informed with our models create more power and
with our models create more power and
with our models create more power and more power until we finally hit 50 60 70
more power until we finally hit 50 60 70
more power until we finally hit 50 60 70 a hundred watts per square meter and
a hundred watts per square meter and
a hundred watts per square meter and then it’s economically viable and really
then it’s economically viable and really
then it’s economically viable and really attractive as a real commercial power
attractive as a real commercial power
attractive as a real commercial power foot source and yes it really did
foot source and yes it really did
foot source and yes it really did actually feel like that let me tell you
actually feel like that let me tell you
actually feel like that let me tell you when we finally realized that we had
when we finally realized that we had
when we finally realized that we had made it to a point where we had a viable
made it to a point where we had a viable
made it to a point where we had a viable opportunity and as a result of all that
opportunity and as a result of all that
opportunity and as a result of all that hard work and those insights we were
hard work and those insights we were
hard work and those insights we were able to apply for and receive a very
able to apply for and receive a very
able to apply for and receive a very competitive grant from the Department of
competitive grant from the Department of
competitive grant from the Department of Energy’s advanced resected Vance –
Energy’s advanced resected Vance –
Energy’s advanced resected Vance – research project agency energy for five
research project agency energy for five
research project agency energy for five million dollars over a two-year period
million dollars over a two-year period
million dollars over a two-year period that lets us go from making lab sized
that lets us go from making lab sized
that lets us go from making lab sized pals to things we have to test in very
pals to things we have to test in very
pals to things we have to test in very large automotive scale wind tunnels and
large automotive scale wind tunnels and
large automotive scale wind tunnels and and then next year to take it offshore
and then next year to take it offshore
and then next year to take it offshore working with the University of Maine on
working with the University of Maine on
working with the University of Maine on their offshore wind energy testbed out
their offshore wind energy testbed out
their offshore wind energy testbed out in Penobscot Bay out in the real live
in Penobscot Bay out in the real live
in Penobscot Bay out in the real live ocean and test it for the very first
ocean and test it for the very first
ocean and test it for the very first time so once we get that done
time so once we get that done
time so once we get that done successfully which we will we got here
successfully which we will we got here
successfully which we will we got here we’ll get there
we’ll get there
we’ll get there we’re going to go where the people in
we’re going to go where the people in
we’re going to go where the people in the water are this map shows you most of
the water are this map shows you most of
the water are this map shows you most of the world’s population lives very close
the world’s population lives very close
the world’s population lives very close to the shoreline and it’s crowded there
to the shoreline and it’s crowded there
to the shoreline and it’s crowded there you don’t want to have wind turbines
you don’t want to have wind turbines
you don’t want to have wind turbines there so it would be nice be able to put
there so it would be nice be able to put
there so it would be nice be able to put them offshore but they’re very expensive
them offshore but they’re very expensive
them offshore but they’re very expensive far more expensive than onshore wind
far more expensive than onshore wind
far more expensive than onshore wind farms so our system can make them cost
farms so our system can make them cost
farms so our system can make them cost comparable to onshore wind farms and
comparable to onshore wind farms and
comparable to onshore wind farms and change all that and at the same time
change all that and at the same time
change all that and at the same time remember that automotive heritage
remember that automotive heritage
remember that automotive heritage manufacturing technology well this is a
manufacturing technology well this is a
manufacturing technology well this is a plant of GM’s not too far outside
plant of GM’s not too far outside
plant of GM’s not too far outside Detroit a big one a plant the size
Detroit a big one a plant the size
Detroit a big one a plant the size though could because of our high volume
though could because of our high volume
though could because of our high volume identical manufacturing technology and
identical manufacturing technology and
identical manufacturing technology and the logistics that go with it that plant
the logistics that go with it that plant
the logistics that go with it that plant could potentially supply half or more
could potentially supply half or more
could potentially supply half or more the world’s entire capacity for wind
the world’s entire capacity for wind
the world’s entire capacity for wind energy every single year and be a great
energy every single year and be a great
energy every single year and be a great opportunity to do what create a panel at
opportunity to do what create a panel at
opportunity to do what create a panel at a time but do it millions of times
a time but do it millions of times
a time but do it millions of times put it on poles and every time we do
put it on poles and every time we do
put it on poles and every time we do that we create great jobs for people
that we create great jobs for people
that we create great jobs for people right here our friends our neighbors the
right here our friends our neighbors the
right here our friends our neighbors the people we know
people we know
people we know and at the same time we know that not
and at the same time we know that not
and at the same time we know that not only we’re doing all of that but we’re
only we’re doing all of that but we’re
only we’re doing all of that but we’re also creating an opportunity to change
also creating an opportunity to change
also creating an opportunity to change the world of wind energy address climate
the world of wind energy address climate
the world of wind energy address climate change problems and protect the planet
change problems and protect the planet
change problems and protect the planet that we all love live on and share thank
that we all love live on and share thank
that we all love live on and share thank you very much for listening
you very much for listening
you very much for listening [Applause]
”
Be First to Comment