The apparatus includes a wind turbine system for the collection of wind energy and the conversion thereof through staged-compression into highly compressed gas. The highly compressed gas is routed to a central tank, and then expanded into a plurality of concentric ring tanks, each storing gas at successively lower pressures. The cooling resulting from this expansion is utilized to cool hot compressed gas from an intermediate line of gas compressors, increasing the efficiency of the following compressors. This absorption of heat also improves the efficiency of the gas turbines driving electrical generators. The gas compressor in each wind turbine is located near ground level, and driven by a vertical shaft passing through the wind turbine support tower. One embodiment has conventional radially extending blades, and another embodiment has ducted blades to withstand higher winds. Both ground mounted and deep water adaptions for the wind turbines are disclosed.

A wind turbine and a method of reducing extreme loads and fatigue loads on a wind turbine by using a passively activated tripping device arranged on the pressure side of the wind turbine blade. The tripping device is configured to interrupt the passing airflow, when activated, and transform the airflow into a turbulent airflow. The tripping device is positioned close to the leading edge, wherein its dimensions are optimized so that it reduces the maximum lift coefficient as well as increases the minimum lift coefficient which in turn reduces the range of the lift coefficient. The tripping device is activated at both negative and positive angle-of-attacks outside the normal operating range.

A wind turbine hub assembly including: a plurality of radially arranged blade attachment members for attaching blades with a radially outer blade section with a leading edge and trailing edge wherein each blade extends outwardly from and about a central axis of rotation; a central hub assembly configured to rotate about the axis of rotation with the plurality of blade attachment members being radially arranged and hingedly connected relative to the central hub assembly by respective hinge arrangements to allow relative movement of the blade attachment members relative to the central hub assembly; one or more biasing structures operatively coupled with each blade attachment member wherein a first end of said each biasing structure is attached to the central hub assembly and a second end of the biasing structure is attached to a respective blade attachment member for applying a biasing force.

A wind turbine hub assembly including: a plurality of radially arranged blade attachment members for attaching blades with a radially outer blade section with a leading edge and trailing edge wherein each blade extends outwardly from and about a central axis of rotation; a central hub assembly configured to rotate about the axis of rotation with the plurality of blade attachment members being radially arranged and hingedly connected relative to the central hub assembly by respective hinge arrangements to allow relative movement of the blade attachment members relative to the central hub assembly; one or more biasing structures operatively coupled with each blade attachment member wherein a first end of said each biasing structure is attached to the central hub assembly and a second end of the biasing structure is attached to a respective blade attachment member for applying a biasing force.

A wind turbine hub assembly including: a plurality of radially arranged blade attachment members for attaching blades with a radially outer blade section with a leading edge and trailing edge wherein each blade extends outwardly from and about a central axis of rotation; a central hub assembly configured to rotate about the axis of rotation with the plurality of blade attachment members being radially arranged and hingedly connected relative to the central hub assembly by respective hinge arrangements to allow relative movement of the blade attachment members relative to the central hub assembly; one or more biasing structures operatively coupled with each blade attachment member wherein a first end of said each biasing structure is attached to the central hub assembly and a second end of the biasing structure is attached to a respective blade attachment member for applying a biasing force.