INNOVATIVE WIND MILL DESIGNED BY A FARMER

Filipinos are indeed innovative. Show them an equipment and when their need demands so, they can copy and better still, improve on the design they saw in another farm. This is what Noel Velez of Brgy. Hibao-an, San Miguel, Iloilo did when El Nino struck in the first quarter or 2010. Shortly before El Nino, he and the owners of the farm he is managing went to Bacolod City to learn about organic farming and one of the features of the farm that caught his attention is the wind mill that provides water and saved on the power costs for the owner.

The wind mill at the Penalosa farm in Bacolod was a standard design popularized in Western Visayas in the early up to mid- 1980s. Its propeller was fixed and the pump was fabricated out of thick gauge GI pipe. The wind mill was able to rotate almost 360 degrees to catch the wind at all angles and used automotive parts such as the universal joint to provide flexibility for the piston.

Noel Velez studied the design and decided on several innovations. First is the removable and adjustable fan blades which can removed during typhoons or can be adjusted when wind is strong or weak. He also innovated on the base so that the movement to catch the wind is smooth and effortless, thus allowing the mill to rotate easily and without stress on the superstructure.

The most important innovation that Noel made is the use of the standard “jetmatic” pump which is readily available in hardware stores and easily maintained because it is simply the gasket that wears out and costs P35.00 to replace. Noel replaces the gaskets in the three (3) windmills he installed on the farm every 3-4 months.

All the three windmills that Noel built on the farm came mostly from recycled materials either from past constructions or from the nearby junk shops, except for the jetmatic pumps which are brand new. To save on the cost, the windmill tower doubles at tank tower too. The tanks are also recycled blue plastic drums used originally for bulk glucose bought by softdrinks and cake factories in the city. They were coupled together with large GI pipes so that water is distributred evenly as it is pumped into one of the drums. The pump is built just a bit higher than the drums which is provides easy lift and thus no unnecessary stress on the jetmatic pump.

By using his ingenuity, he was able to build the windmills which are not only efficient in drawing water but also a spectacle for passing motorists and commuters. Already, the farm and windmills are a crowd drawer. Many are curious about the design and had inquired about the cost if Noel were to build one for them too.

At present Noel pegs the materials cost to run to about P25,000.00 while labor and proprietary cost will be about 14,000.00 more. So for a total of about P39,000.00 per unit, Noel can build a windmill which can provide water at minimal cost year round.