Patent ID: 8454313

Claim:
A wind turbine comprising: a first rotor connected to a first shaft and rotatable about an axis of rotation, the first rotor further comprising: a first elongate blade support connected to the first shaft, radially extending from the first shaft and defining a first longitudinal blade axis; a first rotor blade connected to the first elongate blade support, the first rotor blade radially extending along the first longitudinal blade axis, and the first rotor blade including at least a first blade section and a second blade section, the first blade section of the first rotor blade mounted on a radially-outermost position on the first elongate blade support relative to a mounting position of the second blade section of the first rotor blade and configured so that a twist of the first rotor blade is optimized by passively rotating at least the first blade section of the first rotor blade about the first longitudinal axis at a fixed distance from the first shaft and the first rotor blade further including: a stop fixed to the elongate rotor blade support and defining at least one arcuate slot concentrically positioned about the longitudinal blade axis; and a pin extending into the arcuate slot to limit rotation of the rotor blade to the defined angle of rotation relative to the stop; a second elongate blade support connected to the first shaft and angularly spaced from the first elongate blade support about the axis of rotation; and a second rotor blade connected to the second elongate blade support, the second rotor blade radially extending from a second longitudinal axis, the second rotor blade including at least a first blade section and a second blade section, the first blade section of the second rotor blade mounted on a radially-outermost position on the second elongate blade support relative to a mounting position of the second blade section of the second rotor blade and configured so that a twist of the second rotor blade is optimized by passively rotating at least the first blade section of the second rotor blade about the second longitudinal axis at a fixed distance from the first shaft; a nacelle including an electric generator connected to the first shaft; and a tower supporting the nacelle.