Could trees provide another model for wind power generation?

Question

Obviously windmills extract some power from the wind using blades that rotate etc, but I wonder if it would be possible to get energy from the wind by mimicing the rocking/swaying motion of trees on a windy day?

I believe that larger windmills with a larger area of blade space exposed to the wind will spin with less wind speed. A tree or something like it provides a lot of space for a less powerful wind to push against...so...would it be possible to construct something like a sail on a hinge to extract more power at lower wind speeds?

I apologise if this all sounds like nonsense. I’m not a scientist, hence the question and I’m guessing that windmills work in a way that is more efficient than my oddball suggestion/idea.

What do you think anyway?

Is this nonsensical or impractical?

Any thoughts/comments appreciated.


Thanks

Answer 1

I suppose that a windmill operates in a circular motion in the way that a dynamo does and that is why it works so well.

A tidal wave dynamo works from the back and forward motion like a swaying tree, so it could work I suppose, but it's easier to build a windmill.

It's not nonsense, science needs people who think differently, that's how we move forward, good question!

Answer 2

Good question! However a wind mill or any device that weighs anything will damage a tree and cause it to eventually and or quickly break. Now an electronic devise may be plausible. or a machine that runs on carbon dioxide might work!

Answer 3

it is neither non-sensical nor impractical.
it is rather difficult to tell unless tried practically, but still one can say that trees COULD provide for wind power generation, but windmills are definately the better option.

Answer 4

May be that it is possible.