Robert Copcutt

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Robert Copcutt

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Hello,

My interest in this community comes from its potential to make a difference to how industry impacts on the environment and this has always been a big concern for me. In the 1970s I wanted to build electric vehicles to reduce pollution. I did a project on batteries that led to me discovering fuel cells and later helped me secure a bursary to study Chemical Engineering. Fuel cells are still part of my life because I am doing a part-time contract at Cambridge University looking at how they might sequester carbon dioxide.

I am also developing an energy storage system that uses my experience with electrochemical systems. I submitted this idea to the Virgin Earth Challenge and remain hopeful of some good news from them

The project most relevant to this community is my wind turbine interest. At the beginning of 2008 I had a revelation about the potential of wind power using huge kites mounted on floating platforms out of the way in the sea. These system could generate all the power we need all by themselves at a cost lower than what we presently pay for energy. However, developing such systems would be very costly so I turned my attention to smaller systems that I could start developing with the resources I already have. While researching the wind industry I realised that improvements could be made to the design of both the vertical and the horizontal axis models available so far. My vertical axis design is simpler and cheaper so I am concentrating on that first.

At the moment my plan is to collect a team of volunteers to help me make and test prototype turbines in the local Cambridge area. Ultimately my ambition is to see these turbines manufactured in small facilities all over the world and enabling poor communities to have access to electricity. That electricity can help them get educated and that is most important because lack of education is the main cause of poverty and environmental damage. I will post more as my plan develops but please do contact me if you think you can help. Experience in any aspect of running a small manufacturing concern would be valuable as well as simply an interest to gain new experience.

Another project I am working on is Cohousing. I am involved with http://www.enlinca.org.uk/ and http://www.cohousing.org.uk/

Finally, my Healthy Atmosphere Campaign can be found at http://www.copcutt.me.uk/

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