The story was about '
Segmented Ultralight
Morphing Rotors'. The segmented part is for manufacturability and deliverability. the Morphing part is that the rotor (modeled on a Palm tree trunk) absorbs the stress of the wind shadow. If the blades are upwind they have to be stiff enough to avoid a strike on the tower.
Here's another article on the segmented blade.
https://cleantechnica.com/2011/12/09...-blade-design/
They also show a turbine with a hubcap.
Ferdinand Porsche built a trailing windmill in the 1930s. I can't find a picture of it online but one appeared in a Porsche magazine called Christopher. Maybe I'll find my copy someday.
If the wind shadow is really a problem, why don't they boat tail the tower?