“Whale-bumps” so far have been, at best, a minor distraction in wind energy.
Haven’t heard anything about that “Whale Power” company lately.
Much like the “birds” “issue”, such topics gain traction due to being something the average non-wind-energy person can “understand” (or think they understand).
Look at the “comments” section after wind energy article and videos, and you’re sure to see quite a few “opinions” about “birds”. Most of the rest decry the “ignorance” of not using vertical-axis machines. Why? What else can the average person grasp about energy in any form? Let alone energy from wind which is invisible?
Most people don’t even know the difference between a kW and a kWh, using the terms interchangeably. They can’t speak about various airfoils, chord, angles, pitch and pitch control, twist, blade construction, wear, longevity, all the stuff that matters, but they can easily think deeply enough to repeat a mention of whalebumps.
So, in a simplified version of reality, where everything must be boiled down to ever-changing slogans and buzzwords, this kind of stuff can make a big splash, regardless of whether it is actually useful or not.