Press Releases

Searching for the origin of Wind - January 2007

A British company is supporting a Dutch performance art project that aims to find the origin of Wind.

The project, "Windfinder", is the inspiration of award winning artist Wipke Iwersen ( Berlin, 1971) who is based in Amsterdam. With nautical charts she designed herself and a fascinating unmanned boat - Windfinder seeks the wind’s origin An important part of her work is a seaworthy boat that is being prepared for launch in the Pacific and which is expected to make its maiden voyage in the not too distant future.

In 2004, Wipke won the Shell Young Art Award for some of the earlier stages of the project. She was inspired by a message in a bottle when sailing with her father as a child and the artist embarked on the Windfinder project in 2003. Wipke has now built a full sized and wind powered ‘magical’ craft which will sail directly into the wind. The boat will be powered by a wind turbine from Proven Energy, a wind turbine manufacturer.

Wipke's original wind turbine design worked satisfactorily but could not be controlled in high winds and was out of safe operating zone. After consulting many wind experts, Wipke was directed to Proven Energy – a company which has a worldwide reputation for making the toughest wind turbines. Proven turbines are self controlling so the expected storms Windfinder will encounter on her travels shall be managed by the Proven Technology.

After trials in Holland Windfinder will be released to sail alone into the Pacific Ocean or where suitable and will try to get well out to sea before the Typhoon season starts. Wipke will follow on in her classic family Yacht and try to find people with stories of seeing Windfinder – a strange vessel moving against the wind. Instructions aboard the craft ask anyone finding her to carry out required repairs or improvements and launch her again.

It is hoped that Windfinder will cruise the Pacific Ocean for years and possibly arrive in the Arctic or Antarctic . However, only Windfinder's exciting voyage will tell where the true source of the Wind is.

Gordon Proven, MD of Proven Energy Ltd., adds: “We are delighted to sponsor such an adventurous project that aims to sail to the source of the Wind. Since Proven’s wind turbines, our many customers and the planet’s future depend on using the wind’s huge energy resource, it is very interesting to try to track it down.

Tourists, locals, mariners, sailors, divers, off-shore oil & gas professionals should help Windfinder on its voyage and create folklore about this unique vessel.

Note to the editor: Proven Energy Ltd is a Scottish company based in Stewarton, Ayrshire and the world’s leading small wind turbine manufacturer. The Company is one of the fastest growing manufacturing companies in the UK and produces four wind turbine models: Proven 0.6, Proven 2.5, Proven 6 & Proven 15. The model number indicates the kilo-Watt (kW) capacity. The company employs over 40 people and is increasing its production capacity. Owning a Proven turbine is one way of contributing to the reversal of catastrophic climate change.

Wipke Web Site - www.windvinder.nl

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