Vertical axis wind turbine system for transportation vehicles

A vertical axis wind turbine system (VAWTS) for a transportation vehicle comprising:

• at least one vertical axis wind turbine including a shaft that extends in the vertical direction and a plurality of blades coupled to the shaft;
• a shield, positioned upstream of the at least one vertical axis wind turbine, including a height greater than or equal to a height of the plurality of blades;
• wherein the shield partially overlaps the at least one vertical axis wind turbine in a horizontal direction such that only open facing blades of the plurality of blades are exposed to a wind;
• the at least one vertical axis wind turbine and the shield are mounted to the transportation vehicle so as to operate above, in front of, or inside of the transportation vehicle;
• wherein, when mounted above the transportation vehicle, only a bottom edge of the shield is not exposed to the wind;
• and
• wherein, when mounted inside of the transportation vehicle, a tunnel channels the wind from an air intake to the at least one vertical axis wind turbine, the shield is defined by a tunnel wall that extends from the air intake to a housing section for the at least one vertical axis wind turbine, the tunnel extends at an angle from the housing section, in an upward direction, to an air exit such that the air exit is higher than a top of the at least one vertical axis wind turbine.