High tech for the poor

Wind generation hasn't worked for the world's poor, because it needs to be huge to be efficient - $1 million plus generators.

But 28-year-old Shan Frayne has devised a way to build very cheap low-power wind generators. He uses a long piece of coated cloth which vibrates like a loose guitar string. Magnets at the end get induced electricity by the vibration. And that's all. Very simple. Easy to build and maintain and it generates power with a 10 mph wind. The "wind belt."

He deserved and received a Breakthrough Award from Popular Mechanics this year. See the pictures of it and the video of Shawn demonstrating it.