Consigned to Oblivion - Wind Power for the World: The Rise of Modern Wind Energy - page 363

16.5 Turning Wind into Heating

In the middle of the 1970s, a lively debate took place on whether
windmills should be used for the production of power or for heating.
In a temperate climate, three times as much energy is used fo
heating as for electricity, and back then both were produced by
importing oil. This made a good reason for developing heating
windmills.

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In summer of 1975, many people were rigging up their first
homemade wind turbines in their backyards and gardens. One of
them is master blacksmith from Serritslev near

Brønderslev. He had built a 3-blade fast runner windmill which
heated water by means of a water brake. The height of his windmill
was 16 m with a blade span of 10 m. It looked quite modern with
three blades pulling the water brake, placed on the ground. The wind
turbine was placed by the main road 14, and many cars stopped
to have a talk with the blacksmith on his heating windmill. By
using a water brake, you save an expensive generator costing DKK
6 000-7 000 (EUR 900), the blacksmith pointed out.

Jørgen Andersen

Figure 16.7 Windmill for heat production developed by Jørgen Andersen.

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For more information on water brake windmills, see chapter Water Brake

Windmills by Jørgen Krogsgaard.