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This portable wind turbine lets you generate wind energy no matter where you are

As concern about the use of greenhouse gasses continues to grow all over the globe, manufacturers and forward-thinkers are scrambling to find new and inventive ways to produce clean, renewable energy. As of late, solar panels have begun to dominate the energy industry, proving to be an incredibly efficient — and relatively cost-effective — way to “go green.” Unfortunately, finding a suitable place to install a cumbersome solar panel isn’t the end-all solution for a large number of people, and those same people certainly don’t have the ability to operate one of those massive wind turbine generators.

So in comes Janulus, the Minnesota-based investment company that recently took to Kickstarter to help fund its revolutionary new portable wind turbine prototypes, called simply Trinity. Available in four different models, the Trinity allows users to store generated power and sell off any energy they don’t use, and it even works where wind speed is at a premium.

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Much to the delight of Janulus, the Trinity project raised an astounding $42k — of a $50k goal — in just its first day on the popular crowdfunding site. With 33 days remaining in the campaign, it looks extremely likely that mass production of the Trinity is in the company’s immediate future.

As mentioned above, Janulus offers the Trinity in four different models. The 50-watt Trinity 50, available for a mere $369 to early backers, is the perfect camping companion, capable of entirely charging smartphones (and the like) roughly three to four times on a single charge. Janulus’ next tier of turbines, the 400-watt Trinity 400 — do you see a trend here? — kicks the energy game up a few notches, allowing for roughly ten to sixteen complete charges of smart devices and can also power a small camper.

For those interested in a turbine capable of powering an entire home, the Trinity 1000 and 2500 will be your cup of tea. Packing 1,000 and 2,500 watts, respectively, these are the cream of the portable wind turbine crop. Choosing a model obviously comes down to the size of the home you wish to power, and Janulus lists the entire specs of each device on the Kickstarter page itself.

Critically, each turbine model has the ability to generate its power capacity with wind speeds as low as four miles per hour. In the event the device is used during high winds, Janulus outfitted each Trinity to collapse its blades for a more efficient accumulation of power.

Design-wise, the Trinity portable wind turbine is essentially a miniature model of those giant wind turbines you often see in sprawling countrysides. With three legs and three blades comprising the entire body, each model is extremely portable and, better yet, remarkably durable. The team behind the project also developed a companion smartphone application allowing users to turn the Trinity on or off while also providing details on how much energy the device generates each day.

Despite this arguably being one of the greatest clean energy Kickstarter projects the crowdfunding community has ever seen, Janulus’ portable turbine makes a whole lot of sense. With the momentum of green energy (rightfully) gaining a full head of steam as of late, developing and producing easy-to-use renewable energy technology is paramount and Janulus is at the head of the pack.

Rick Stella
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Rick became enamored with technology the moment his parents got him an original NES for Christmas in 1991. And as they say…
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