Dr. Majid Rashidi believes there is a better way to harness the power of the wind, especially in geographic areas with lower wind speeds. So on May 12, 2009, CSU hoisted its first wind tower amplification system to the rooftop of the Plant Services Building, located at the corner of Chester Ave. and E. 24th Street.

Made possible by a generous contribution from Betty L. Gordon and grants from the State of Ohio and the U.S. Department of Energy, the wind amplification system is a physical manifestation of the Fenn College of Engineering’s cutting-edge research efforts involving alternative energy sources such as solar, wind, and fuel cells.

The system, designed by Dr. Rashidi, is a wind deflecting structure with small-scale turbines that can generate power at low wind speeds.

Now a prominent part of the CSU skyline, the 25-foot in diameter cylinder sits on a 30-foot tall base. Four turbines, six feet in diameter, are anchored to two arms that can rotate as the wind direction changes. A standalone turbine has also been erected and is used as a control to measure the difference in power capacity between the traditional turbine versus Dr. Rashidi’s system.

The patented system, developed as a cost-effective alternative to traditional power sources, is available for commercial use and plans are currently underway for additional systems to be installed in downtown Cleveland and rural areas of Northeast Ohio.

Dr. Rashidi is chair of the CSU engineering technology department and a professor of mechanical engineering.