It looks like it adds a lot of moving parts and complexity, and would most likely be far less efficient that standard designs.

I agree it looks excessively complex. When I first saw these I thought they were using this: http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/energy/solar-wind/4224763 which would be vastly simpler and look about the same.

I predict low efficiency and low reliability even by the standards of renewable energy supporters.

The main problem with vertical rotating turbines is keeping the sand and dust out of the main thrust bearing underneath the rotor. These "eggbeater" devices have been around since the 70s but they stopped using them because of the maintenance required.

re; dchall8
VAWT weren't as efficient as predicted either. They cant be touched on the ability to deal with shifting winds. You often see wind farms where the turbines on the ends are spinning but the ones in the middle are idol. Look closely the wind is probably blowing in opposite directions at the ends of the wind farm. VAWTs in the middle could still run.

It is good to see people trying different approaches in an effort to gain greater efficiency... But, and I'm no engineer, this doesn't look like it will achieve any of the goals set out. If you are replacing one big blade and one big gearbox with hundreds of small blades and axles are you lowering or increasing maintenance? I'd say increasing. Also, by increasing the surface area of the system, aren't you loading a whole heap more shearing forces? Sure, give this a go, but it smells bad from the start.

These will be less efficient for sure, compared to a standard wind turbine. The proposed design has much more drag, more joints where interference drag and noise is being created as the angle of attack changes over every rotation. There's a reason why egg-beaters are designed the same way: They just stir up their medium and do little else.
But they do not claim to be more efficient, they say they have less impact on environment. You will need more of these to create the same amount of energy as you would with conventional wind turbine towers, so where is the positive effect? More material used, more area wasted, more environment cluttered.
@slowburn: The turbine in the middle does not run because in the middle, there is no wind. A VAWT in the same place would not run either because of the same fact. If the drag is too high in an area, the wind will start to just flow around it. That is happening with too large wind farms in low wind conditions. Being a pilot, I see this very frequently: The direction of the individual towers clearly indicates a flow pattern, if looked at from above. The same effect limits the efficiency of any wind turbine: If it could pull out more energy, it would just slow down the air in it's area, and all surrounding air would just flow around it, and that's it, then.

I can see a much better case for a grid of miniature conventional turbines in this framework. Compared to the same swept area with a single turbine, it should save on economies of mass production, easier cooling, shorter cantilevers, and possibly elimination of gearing. They might be safer for wildlife, and would not produce rhythmic sound and light pollution. They might be mass-produced on a spool with two main cables, and deployed from kites as well as stationary structures.

re; martinkopplow
I have both talked with an engineer with a wind energy company and seen the turbines visually turning in opposite directions.

@ slowburn
Yes, they actually turn in different directions, because local wind is in different directions. Large wind farms also tend to separate warm air masses from the ground because of the turbulence they create. This creates thermal convection right over the plant and has great influence on local wind. On summer days, I have seen all the outer wind turbines of a farm facing outward and running, while the inner ones stand disoriented and mostly idle. Once this chimney effect is triggered, it can take quite some time before it comes to an end: Either supply of warm air must stop, or general wind must pick up enough to wash the whole system away. A VAWT would not help here, because it is not an issue of wind direction but rather wind speed.