Vertical-axis wind turbine

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Vertical-axis wind turbines (VAWT) are a type of wind turbine where the main rotor shaft runs vertically. The advantages of this arrangement are that the generator and/or gearbox can be placed at the bottom, near the ground, so the tower doesn't need to support it, and that the turbine doesn't need to be pointed into the wind. Drawbacks are usually the pulsating torque that can be produced during each revolution and the drag created when the blade rotates into the wind. It is also difficult to mounting vertical axis turbines on towers, meaning they must operate in the often slower, more turbulent air flow near the ground, with resulting lower energy extraction efficiency.

VAWTs can be lift or drag based, an indicator is the tip speed ratio.

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