On May 12, 2009, Cleveland State University hoisted its first wind tower amplification system to the rooftop of its Plant Services Building located at the corner of Chester Ave. and E. 24th Street. The system, designed by Dr. Majid Rashidi of CSU’s Fenn College of Engineering, is a wind deflecting structure with small-scale turbines that can generate power at low wind speeds.

Prominently displayed, the 25 foot in diameter cylinder - adorned with the Cleveland State University logo - sits on a 30-foot tall base. Four turbines, six feet in diameter, will soon be anchored to two arms that can rotate as the wind direction changes. A standalone turbine will also be erected and used as a control to measure the difference in power capacity of the traditional turbine versus Dr. Rashidi’s system.

The patented wind amplification turbine 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.

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 tower amplification system is a physical manifestation of Fenn College’s cutting-edge research efforts involving alternative energy sources such as solar, wind, fuel cells and nuclear.