Latest news with #KevinWolf
Forbes
11 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
Game-Changing Wind Turbines Harvest Underused Resource Close To The Ground
Winds of Change: Kevin Wolf, CEO and co-founder of Wind Harvest Jimmy Dean, the country musician, actor and entrepreneur, famously said: 'I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.' A new wind turbine from a California startup, Wind Harvest, takes Dean's maxim to heart and applies it to wind power generation. It goes after untapped, abundant wind. Wind Harvest is bringing to market a possibly revolutionary but well-tested vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) that operates on ungathered wind resources near the ground, thriving in turbulence and shifting wind directions. The founders and investors – many of them recruited through a crowd-funding mechanism — believe that wind near the ground is a great underused resource that can go a long way to helping utilities in the United States and around the world with rising electricity demand. The Wind Harvest turbines neither seek to replace nor compete with the horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWT), which are the dominant propeller-type turbines seen everywhere. These operate at heights from 200 feet to 500 feet above ground. Instead, these vertical turbines are at the most 90 feet above the ground and, ideally, can operate beneath large turbines, complementing the tall, horizontal turbines and potentially doubling the output from a wind farm. The wind disturbance from conventional tall, horizontal turbines is additional wind fuel for vertical turbines sited below. Studies and modeling from Caltech and other universities predict that the vortices of wind shed by the verticals will draw faster-moving wind from higher altitude into the rotors of the horizontals. For optimum performance, their machines should be located in pairs just about 3 feet apart and that causes the airflow between the two turbines to accelerate, enhancing electricity production. Kevin Wolf, CEO and co-founder of Wind Harvest, told me that they used code from the Department of Energy's Sandia National Laboratory to engineer and evaluate their designs. They believe they have eliminated known weaknesses in vertical turbines and have a durable and easy-to-make design, which they call Wind Harvester 4.0. This confidence is reflected in the first commercial installation of the Wind Harvest turbines on St. Croix, one of the U.S. Virgin Islands in the Caribbean. Some 20 turbines are being proposed for construction on a peninsula made from dredge spoils. This 1-megawatt project would produce 3000 megawatt hours of power annually. All the off-take from this pilot project will go to a local oil refinery for its operations, replacing propane generators. Wolf said the Wind Harvester will be modified to withstand Category 5 hurricanes; can be built entirely in the United States of steel and aluminum; and are engineered to last 70-75 years with some refurbishing along the way. Future turbines will avoid dependence on rare earths by using ferrite magnets in the generators. Recently, there have been various breakthroughs in small wind turbines designed for urban use. But Wind Harvest is squarely aimed at the utility market, at scale. The company has been working solidly to complete the commercialization process and spread VAWTs around the world. 'You don't have to install them on wind farms, but their highest use should be doubling or more the power yield from those farms with a great wind resource under their tall turbines,' Wolf said. Horizontal wind turbines, so named because the drive shaft is aligned horizontally to the ground, compared to vertical turbines where the drive shaft and generator are vertically aligned and much closer to the ground, facilitating installation, maintenance and access. Wolf believes his engineering team has eliminated the normal concerns associated with VAWTs, like resonance and the problem of the forces of 15 million revolutions per year on the blade-arm connections. The company has been granted two hinge patents and three others. Four more are pending. Wind turbines have a long history. The famous eggbeater-shaped VAWT was patented by a French engineer, Georges Jean Marie Darrieus, in 1926, but had significant limitations on efficiency and cost-effectiveness. It has always been more of a dream machine than an operational one. Wind turbines became serious as a concept in the United States as a result of the energy crisis that broke in the fall of 1973. At that time, Sandia began studying windmills and leaned toward vertical designs. But when the National Renewable Energy Laboratory assumed responsibility for renewables, turbine design and engineering moved there; horizontal was the design of choice at the lab. In pursuing the horizontal turbine, DOE fit in with a world trend that made offshore wind generation possible but not a technology that could utilize the turbulent wind near the ground. Now, Wind Harvest believes, the time has come to take advantage of that untouched resource. Wolf said this can be done without committing to new wind farms. These additions, he said, would have a long-projected life and some other advantages: Birds and bats seem to be more adept at avoiding the three-dimensional, vertical turbines closer to the surface. Agricultural uses can continue between rows of closely spaced VAWTs that can align fields, he added. Some vertical turbines will use simple, highly durable lattice towers, especially in hurricane-prone areas. But Wolf believes the future will be in wooden, monopole towers and to reduce the amount of embodied carbon in their projects. One way or another, the battle for more electricity to accommodate rising demand is joined close to the ground.
The Star
23-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Protesters yell 'Shame!' at guests of Trump's memecoin dinner
An activist calls out an attendee of an exclusive dinner at Trump National Golf Course as he and fellow activist from Our Revolution protest influence-peddling & corruption, on May 22, 2025 in Sterling, Va. Inside, the top 220 holders of the President's cryptocurrency have paid over US$394mil for spots at an exclusive dinner with Trump. — Kevin Wolf/AP Content Services for Our Revolution Top holders of Donald Trump's memecoin and other guests were greeted by protesters as they arrived for a dinner with the president at his golf club outside of Washington on May 22, a day which saw Bitcoin extend its record high amid optimism about US government support for the crypto industry. Chinese crypto entrepreneur Justin Sun, who is working to resolve a regulatory case in the US, posted a photo on X showing him on his way to the dinner. Trump announced his own departure to the event on Truth Social, saying "The U.S.A. is DOMINATING in Crypto, Bitcoin, etc., and we are going to keep it that way!' Guests arriving for the event, which included retired NBA player Lamar Odom, were greeted outside the Trump National Golf Club near Washington by about 100 protesters within earshot of the security checkpoint where they emerged from their vehicles. Protesters screamed "Shame!' and "I hope you choke on your dinner!' and held signs with messages like "America is not for sale' and "Memecoin grifters go to jail.' Inside the event, large placards saying "Fight Fight Fight' adorned every table, an homage to the name of the company that launched the $Trump memecoin, according to photos taken inside that were seen by Bloomberg. Gift bags containing black hats and plaques, both reading "Fight Fight Fight,' were on the chairs. On the menu was a field-green salad, filet mignon and pan-seared halibut along with garlic mashed potatoes and a vegetable medley. The gathering has faced criticism from Democrats including Senators Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Adam Schiff of California, who cited conflicts of interest, and the potential of selling access to the president, particularly to people from foreign countries. "In effect he is putting a 'For Sale' sign on the White House lawn,' Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said in an interview on May 9. "The dinner crystallized and heightened concerns that we had even before the dinner was announced.' On Thursday, Blumenthal participated in a press call to discuss what was described as "unprecedented presidential crypto corruption.' To qualify for the dinner, holders of Trump memecoin had to register on an online leaderboard, which tracked their average holdings over three weeks. The top 220 holders got invited, while the top 25 were also invited to a special before-dinner reception with the president. More than half of the top holders used foreign exchanges that say they ban US users, suggesting that many of the purchasers are based outside the US, Bloomberg analysis found. One guest is Morten Christensen, who lives in Mexico and runs which tracks token giveaways. He managed to snag a seat at the dinner at a total cost of only about US$1,200 (RM5,106). In a speech at the dinner, Trump repeated his pledge to make the US the world's crypto capital, according to Christensen. "We've got some of the smartest minds anywhere in the world right here in this room and you believe in the whole crypto thing, and a lot of people are starting to believe in it,' Trump said in the speech, parts of which were posted on X by attendees. After Trump left, Sun was introduced as a speaker by Bill Zanker, who helped organise the dinner. In a short address, Sun said the industry should get behind Trump as crypto operators have been struggling with regulatory challenges for a decade, according to Christensen. Sun also posed for pictures with attendees. Over the last few years, Trump turned from being a crypto sceptic to the industry's biggest champion. After launching four collections of nonfungible tokens, Trump started his second presidential term by appointing crypto-friendly agency heads and establishing a strategic Bitcoin reserve. Trump's family has also expanded its network of crypto businesses. Last year, Trump and his sons launched World Liberty Financial, which has raised more than US$500mil (RM2.12bil). Two of his sons also got involved in a Bitcoin mining venture. Trump-related entities also issued the Trump memecoin days before inauguration. The memecoin's market cap reached nearly US$15bil (RM63.83bil) soon after its January launch, but then dropped sharply, to about US$2.9bil (RM12.34bil) currently, according to data tracker The announcement of the dinner for memecoin holders modestly boosted the coin's price. Fight Fight Fight LLC and CIC Digital LLC, an affiliate of The Trump Organization, share 80% of the total memecoin supply. Bitcoin was trading at US$111,593 (RM474,861) – just below its all-time high – at 8.47am in Singapore on Friday. – Bloomberg
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
LGI Homes' Largest Self-Developed Community in the State of Colorado, Bennett Ranch, Opens for Sales
The Laramie Plan by LGI Homes at Bennett Ranch BENNETT, Colo., April 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LGI Homes, Inc. (NASDAQ: LGIH) is now selling homes at Bennett Ranch, a beautiful new community located east of Denver in Bennett, Colorado. This community goes down in history as LGI's largest self-developed community in the state of Colorado. At full build out, Bennett Ranch will include 601 homes across four phases, consisting of 431 single-family homes and 170 townhomes. Homes are now under construction for the first phase of single-family homes, with a second phase of townhomes estimated to begin construction in late 2025. 'We're thrilled to return to Bennett, Colorado, with the launch of this new master-planned community,' said Kevin Wolf, Vice President of Operations for Colorado. 'Bennett Ranch is located in one of the most sought-after areas east of Denver, offering convenient access to I-70 and close proximity to Denver International Airport. Residents will experience the serenity and space of Colorado living—without the congestion and crowds.' Wolf added, 'Bennett Ranch uniquely surrounds Bennett's elementary, intermediate, middle, and high schools, making it an ideal location for families seeking both convenience and a strong sense of community.' In addition to its prime location, Bennett Ranch will feature $2.75 million worth of community amenities that promote an active lifestyle, estimated for completion in late 2025. Residents will enjoy the 5-acre community park, complete with open green space, playground equipment, an outdoor classroom, turf area, walking trails and a picnic area. The neighborhood's walking paths lead directly to the park, offering easy access to outdoor recreation. Homes for sale at Bennett Ranch currently include a selection of spacious 3, 4 and 5-bedroom, single-family homes, each designed with modern, open layouts and today's most desirable upgrades. Two of the floor plans at Bennett Ranch are the first of their kind – the Sage and Yosemite. Bennett Ranch is the first LGI Homes community to offer these new plans, each featuring expansive covered porches and open living rooms. Every home comes equipped with LGI Homes' CompleteHome™ package, which includes sought-after features like energy-efficient kitchen appliances, granite countertops, and luxury vinyl plank flooring. Additional upgrades include programmable thermostats, Wi-Fi-enabled garage door openers, and energy-efficient double-pane Low-E vinyl windows – all included at an affordable price. Homes start in the $490s. For more information or to schedule a tour of the community, please contact the sales team at (855) 682-1546 ext 857 or visit the information center at 3632 Morgan Way, Bennett, CO 80102. About LGI Homes, Inc. Headquartered in The Woodlands, Texas, LGI Homes, Inc. is a pioneer in the homebuilding industry, successfully applying an innovative and systematic approach to the design, construction and sale of homes across 36 markets in 21 states. As one of America's fastest growing companies, LGI Homes has closed over 75,000 homes since its founding in 2003 and has delivered profitable financial results every year. Nationally recognized for its quality construction and exceptional customer service, LGI Homes was named to Newsweek's list of the World's Most Trustworthy Companies. LGI Homes' commitment to excellence extends to its more than 1,000 employees, earning the Company numerous workplace awards at the local, state and national level, including the Top Workplaces USA 2024 Award. For more information about LGI Homes and its unique operating model focused on making the dream of homeownership a reality for families across the nation, please visit the Company's website at MEDIA CONTACT:Rachel Eaton(281) 362-8998 ext. 2560 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at in to access your portfolio
