Windy weather is common by Jordan’s home. In fact, he lives near a wind farm! But hurricanes were the inspiration behind his design for a more powerful and efficient wind turbine.

After studying hurricanes, Jordan realized that their logarithmic spiral formation—a growth spiral—allows wind to move faster. So he wondered how he could use a hurricane’s spiral formation to better power a wind turbine.

Using a 3-D printer, Jordan created four different turbines and then tested them at different wind speeds and positions. He determined that the logarithmic curvature in the spiral design produces more power because the curvature is a natural and efficient way for wind to move. His design proved to be more efficient than current commercial models, to be resilient in changing wind directions, and to work well in urban and metropolitan areas with tight space and low to medium wind speeds.

Jordan hopes his design will help make alternative energy no longer just an alternative.