The 3D printing company Omni3D aims to contribute to the democratization of energy generation by creating an affordable portable open source wind turbine.

The Polish company is developing a small 300 Watt* wind turbine for the cost of its parts or a $350 assembly kit. The AirEnergy 3D can deliver energy to the grid, charge mobile devices directly through its USB port or power a battery. Because of its foldable design it fits into a backpack for easy transportation.

3D printing
The turbine's rotor blades and frame are 3D printed and both the 3D designs and the electronics schematics are open sourced. Omni3D offers the power source as an assembly kit containing the electronics and the 3D print designs. The other option is to build the entire thing yourself based on the open source designs.

Mobile application
The Wi-Fi module included in the AirEnergy 3D design can be used to send data to a smartphone and keep the user up-to-date with energy generation statistics. But once a developer community forms around the device other use cases for wireless communication could emerge.

Crowdfunding
The Omni3D team has created a working prototype that can power lamp. They're now running a Kickstarter campaign to raise $30,000. Rewards range from a personal thank you and a T-shirt to a personalized assembly kit. The expected delivery date is February next year.

Powering underserved regions
The Omni3D team has several goals, it wants to popularize 3D technology, contribute to the renewable energy transition and bring electricity to underserved regions. They're pledging to donate a turbine to communities suffering energy poverty for every $4,200 pledged.



Image: Omni3D

* Correction: The previously stated 300 MW should be 300 Watt