A Colman man has teamed up with his father to create an innovative invention that uses wind power to create energy.
But it’s not a wind tower; this invention uses wind created artificially – by automobiles.
Greg VanMeveren, owner of the former municipal bar, now called Greg’s Place in Colman, recently received a patent for a wind-capturing device designed for placement under bridges on highways and interstates.
Greg and his father, Allen, have been working on the project for about two years.
In creating the project, Greg admits he gained “a little inspiration from the big three-bladers up on Buffalo Ridge,” referring to the Buffalo Ridge wind farms in Brookings County.
He said he realized that natural wind energy was being utilized – but not the gusts created by hundreds of vehicles traveling under bridges across the state every day.
“It occurred to us – (we) don’t know why this hasn’t been tapped. Let’s put something together,” he said.
