Portable wind turbines are riding the DIY energy boom Ventyra R1 smashes Kickstarter goal by 90x, promising 35-minute phone charges

Date:
Sun, 23 Aug 2026 11:00:00 +0000

Description:
There's a new alternative, off-grid power solution available for your consideration, with early bid offers now available.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Portable and DIY energy tech is having a moment: more and more of us are installing balcony solar , setting
up home batteries , and generally finding alternatives to the regular power grid and a new appliance being crowdfunded on Kickstarter extends the trend.

It's the Ventyra R1, a portable wind turbine that's compact enough to fold away and put in a backpack. Like portable power stations and solar panels,
the idea is you can get your gadgets recharged anywhere your travels take you
provided there's a strong breeze. Given that a lot of outdoor locations are pretty blustery, including coastal roads and hillside trails, it's an intriguing innovation with a lot of potential. It seems popular too: over 600 people have now backed it on Kickstarter (via New Atlas ). Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here: Meet the Ventyra R1 While this isn't quite the first portable wind turbine we've ever seen, they're a lot rarer than portable solar panels and chargers, and the Ventyra R1 seems to get a lot right as far as we can tell without testing it. It's simple to assemble and set up, and gives you a decent amount of power on the go.

The core specs are 50W of power output, 75W peak load, and 12V DC support, so it would take you around 35 minutes to charge a phone if the turbine was running at top speed (based on Ventyra's own testing). There's an integrated power hub for plugging your gadgets into when they need recharging. You may like Best portable power station Plug in baby: why plug-in solar is going to be huge for UK homes VTOMAN FlashSpeed Pro 3600 V-Beyond portable power station review

A start-up wind speed of just 6.7 mph (3 meters-per-second) is listed, so it doesn't take much of a breeze to get some power going. At those speeds you're unlikely to see much in the way of charging though, so it might be an idea to charge up a power bank with the turbine over an extended period, then use
that for your other devices. A day at the beach with the Ventyra R1 (Image credit: Ventyra) The wind turbine pack comes with its own tripod stand and carry bag, and you also get four ground stakes for fixing it in place (just like you would with a tent). While it's marketed for being suitable for
remote adventures, you could also set it up on a balcony at home and use it
as an alternative power source there. Get daily insight, inspiration and
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There's room for expansion here as well: multiple R1s can be used with the same power hub, expanding the amount of power you can capture at once, and there are also bundles available that include solar panels these can connect to the same system as well, increasing the capacity of your on-the-go clean energy setup.

In fact, the marketing blurb for the Ventyra R1 says it's "designed to complement solar" rather than replacing it. "When connected through a compatible power station or charging setup, the two energy sources can create a more flexible system for changing weather, overnight use, and longer off-grid stays," explains the Kickstarter page. Wind and rain Another useful-looking feature on this unit is the automatic wind alignment. The turbine comes with a tail vane that automatically adjusts the position of the rotor and its blades, saving you from having to make multiple manual adjustments. You can simply set it up then let it get to work. What to read next EcoFlow Stream Ultra X balcony solar battery review Why plug-in
batteries are the next money-saving 'game changer' for homes Plug-in solar panels and home battery installations are spreading in the US

The turbine itself is 52 centimeters (20.5 inches) long, with the individual rotors measuring 38 centimeters (15 inches). The product page doesn't say how tall the tripod is, but judging by the accompanying video, you'll be able to get your wind-powered generator up to somewhere near head height if needed.

What's not mentioned is any kind of weatherproofing. It's possible that this isn't designed to survive heavy rain, which somewhat reduces its usefulness
as an outdoor device, so bear that in mind. It also doesn't look particularly sturdy, so there may be issues with it blowing over in strong winds. The turbine automatically adjusts to lean into the wind (Image credit: Ventyra) That's about all we can say without taking a proper look at this, but it
seems to be a clever idea, well executed. As always with Kickstarter products though, there's no guarantee that a product will make it to market in the
same form shown here, or even at all especially when it comes to companies making their first product, as is the case here.

The Kickstarter goal was a mere $1,500 (or 1,100 / AU$2,090), which seems rather low. In any case, $140,020 (102,646 / AU$195,390) has been pledged at the time of writing, from 661 backers.

If you're a believer in what the Ventyra R1 is offering, then you can put
your name down for one for an early bird starting price of $179 (about 130 / AU$250). Shipping is scheduled for December.

If you're looking for an alternative for home or the outdoors, the Shine Turbine is now on its second incarnation, and comes with an integrated power bank that changes when the wind blows. Preorders are available on Indiegogo now for an early bird price of $399 (that's about 290 / AU$555). Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Today's best portable power station deals EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus 876.99 View See all prices Bluetti Elite 30 V2 179 View See all prices Anker Solix F3800 Portable Power Station 2,699.99
2,299.99 View See all prices We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/home/energy-saving/portable-wind-turbines-are-riding -the-diy-energy-boom-ventyra-r1-smashes-kickstarter-goal-by-90x-promising-35-m inute-phone-charges


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