A new bladeless wind energy unit, patented by Aeromine Technologies, is tackling the challenge of competing with rooftop solar as a local source of clean energy that can be integrated with the built environment. The scalable, “motionless” wind energy unit can produce 50% more energy than rooftop solar at the same cost, said the company.
The technology leverages aerodynamics similar to airfoils in a race car to capture and amplify each building’s airflow. The unit requires about 10% of the space required by solar panels and generates round-the-clock energy. Aeromine said unlike conventional wind turbines that are noisy, visually intrusive, and dangerous to migratory birds, the patented system is motionless and virtually silent.
An Aeromine system typically consists of 20 to 40 units installed on the edge of a building facing the predominant wind direction. The company said the unit can minimize energy storage capacity needed to meet a building’s energy needs, producing energy in all weather conditions. With a small footprint on the roof, the unit can be combined with rooftop solar, providing a new tool in the toolkit for decarbonization and energy independence.
Buildings and the built environment account for nearly 50% of all carbon emissions globally, according to Architecture 2030. Building operations contributes about 27% of emissions, while buildings materials and construction, and other construction industry energy use are estimated to account for another 20%. This represents an opportunity for buildings to be made more efficiently, and to adopt innovative technologies to generate emissions-free electricity.
“This is a game-changer adding new value to the fast-growing rooftop power generation market, helping corporations meet their resilience and sustainability goals with an untapped distributed renewable energy source,” said Aeromine CEO David Asarnow. “Aeromine’s proprietary technology brings the performance of wind energy to the onsite generation market, mitigating legacy constraints posed by spinning wind turbines and less efficient solar panels.”
BASF Corporation is currently testing the Aeromine system at a manufacturing plant in Wyandotte, Michigan. The patented technology was validated through joint research with Sandia National Laboratories and Texas Tech University.
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A very interesting product…something to add to home solar arrays. Innovative!
For residents who have already incorporated rooftop solar panels and storage batteries, it would be good to know if this wind technology could be added to an existing solar system. We live in coastal California which gets it’s share of foggy overcast days, but we usually have steady onshore winds in the afternoon. A mix of the two technologies would be great for charging batteries or sending energy back to the grid.
Great
So you make a smaller 1 than that
Why not have cowel on car left and right side that when rolling the forced air could charge it’s batteiers I thought of these types of wind generator s for a long the Germans had electric car long ago I love this stuff thanks
Are these made for personal homes and what are the dimensions
“Claims” aren’t facts.
Because it creates resistance as soon as you put a turbine in the airflow.
Looking to start my own company..
I’m interested in this technology for my home, I’m a hobbist.
I’d like more information on your wind turbine is when I’m ready to build I’m going to be doing solar panels but I’m not changing go with this as well can you provide me the cost of one of these units and how much KW it produces Etc I’m in the process of building a new building
Aeromine Technologies is at https://www.aerominetechnologies.com/
Contact for them is
https://reimaginingenergy.afwerx.com/exhibitor/aeromine-technologies-11604/
I am very much in favour of regional energy supply where it is needed. Posts and wire is the most ugly scene in the modern environment.
Could it be placed horizontal with the airflow all across the bottom? Turning the turbine? So it doesn’t stick up .
Hi! I wish you an enterprise firm to sent me all the latest news in the future., Rgd’s.👍🙏🏻.
I love this technology.
But hahaha, it would be fun to see how those Californians would react to this, those who always insist that solar panels should be on the back facing roof (so that no one can see them from the front of the house) – even when the front of their house has the sun-rich south facing roof.
Those who are “ashamed” to go solar would be horrified by this most likely. 😂😂😂
I am environmental and contract consultant having office in delhi my company madhu india international laision and contract consultant having office in delhi ensergy solar roof top consultant.
Excellent
Interested in knowing more about it.
Interested in knowing more
This is quite revolutionary given the fact that such vertical wind turbine can do 50% more than a solar PV at the same rate. There is no mention of its usability in areas with low wind resources.
This is super..
This is super…
Decorate with beautiful painted birds n other animals, please
Like to know more details before any comments.
Would like solar items info.
I live on the west coast of Ireland. We have almost constant winds. Would be very interested in such a system.
How do I buy this I am building a new house
Looks nice , subject to efficiency and cost
Hi very ingenious way of making electricity without the sun
Is there a backup when there is no wind or is it similar to a
Whirlybird.They work on s/s enclosed bearings
Would would you have to outlay
How much yearly maintenance is required
What is the weight and material it is made of, would it stand up to severe tropical thunderstorms /hurricanes
Does it require extra mounting for a sloping tile/tin or any other type
Of roofing that is in Australia
I like your idea , good luck
Paul and sue
Hi
Please inform me when it’s ready to sell with all information that convince me and other people to buy.
I’m very sceptical since it seems it’ll only generate electricity when wind is coming from a certain direction. It needs to be turnable.
Agreed. In some places, the prevailing wind is very reliable. In most places, the wind comes from many directions: two examples: where I live in Daegu, Korea now or where I lived in Wichita Kansas. On any particular day, the wind could come from one of many directions. That is the case in most places I have lived (Utah, Nevada, Kansas, Illinois, New York, Virginia, etc.) other than Seattle, where the regular direct impact of the jetstream keeps t
the wind direction stays relatively reliable.
Please don’t fall for this scam as won’t do anything it says other than take your money.
The tech is very weak and there is no power at rooftop level as both slow and turbulent, even if it worked.
A regular WT would put out 10x the power likely than this in real life/$ just 30′ higher up.
Finally some sense in the comments. Thanks Gerald.
Something as aesthetically intrusive as this device is perfect for factories and warehouses. Especially considering a lot of those places are built out in the middle of nowhere locations where the wind can get pretty strong.
Look great , if can be leased
As long as the unit remains mounted sturdy on the roof top, I guess this unit would then produce more energy during storms with heavy winds!! For ocean front properties this combined with solar panels should solve the energy problem then.
I am shopping for solar panels these days. I will keep this in mind. If you are considering to pilot I am interested. Keep me posted and I wish you all the best.
Another start up wind technology with no real world data to back it up. “A game changer”. Really? And no numbers to back up the claims. Shame on you PV Magazine for publishing a marketing article for a venture capitalist with false claims. If you don’t know that a rooftop is a lousy place for wind production in the first place you have no clue. You need to be at the very least 30 feet above a building to effectively harvest a decent amount of wind energy. If they really wanted to verify that this works they would let a veteran wind installer test it… but they won’t ever do that. This is a scam which will never succeed except in getting ignorant investors to give them money.
Many years ago I was working in the small wind industry with a VAWT company. I had many meetings with small governments in coastal towns and they were excited about the vertical axis wind turbines because the wind is always blowing on shore. Too bad the one I worked with was process intensive and too expensive to build. Been wondering how one can address that market at the right price point.
Interested to know more about the technology
Gerald D …. you are 100% incorrect. I’ve managed two 11 story high rise buildings and I’ll be the first to add that the wind is very strong. In fact, over 20-some years ago when I was first approached by the cellular companies to install their equipment on our rooftops (BIG $$$ BTW), the specifications for wind protection was around 50-55 mph. The replacement equipment is now being replaced for 75-80 mph, so it’s pretty easy to assume, their are definite advantages. We are NYS based, if that matters.
Inquiry for wind wind energy systems
This is a very interesting concept, can you please inform me when it’s ready for sale will likely consider installing one.
I’d like to see solid data to support the claims – along with pricing and availability. Thanks.
This should work and seems like a good option. But for existing buildings, wouldn’t there need to be extensive structural upgrades to handle the extra stress placed on the building by combined increased wind load and turbine weight?
Motionless? I can see a turbine spinning underneath the device.
I work at where this unit was installed, Wyandotte, Michigan. From what I observed while the install was going on, it needed Metal infrastructure to support the already heavy metal infra-structure on the current building (Hofer you are spot on); so don’t think this proto-type is going on your home roof, it is way too heavy!
A crane was used to install it…. The picture is deceiving…. Fiberglass is the material of outer construction at this time. This unit is not for residential, it’s about 12′ high and 6′ wide. (estimate only). Keep in mind, the corporation is all about safety, they do not want this thing turning into a whirly bird when the storm winds come………….
The motionless concept means it will not harm birds, there is a generator that turns (in-side lower) and you can see it from the picture, but it will not harm birds and rotates on the up draft from the building. If this was put on a high rise in New York or Chicago, this thing would work extremely well.
To be honest, there are days this turbine does not even run, but again it is because it was installed on about a 38′ roof and is open to only one side?
I agree with others, it needs to be rotatable and much lighter to be put on home roofs.
For corporations or companies, this on the side of a tall building should work great. The data analysis is yet to come.
The author is just letting you know what is happening in the industry!
Gerald Dycus is correct, the current location is no good for this unit. If they mounted it on our higher buildings on site, it would have worked much better…
I can’t agree with the Experienced Electrical Engineer comments, they did use Engineers, and this is absolutely not a scam; this is only a prototype, currently in testing phase and was located here for ease of access and cost reduction. The company is using this data to do analysis of the current unit so as to determine if this could reduce power consumption of site electrical. If you own a corporation, you know power is a direct loss to any company, so finding a green alternative that can help any company get ahead of future electric rates, can only be a Win-Win for the future…..
The concept is great, but they are looking to reduce the weight of the materials. The maintenance is very low cost because it is essentially a hollow tube with a generator in the middle.
Mr. Bjurling is correct, it only produced electricity from virtually one direction of air flow but is designed to be used on the side of a commercial/industrial bldg. where there is constant up flow.
In its current location it has produced very little power at this time because it is low to the ground. If it had been installed on our larger buildings on site it would have produced more power because the uplift from the buildings would be greater, but because it is a prototype it was installed here for ease of access, lower cost and ease of analysis.
This is fantastic technology. Would like to get more information.
I have been interested in solar and wind technology for 50 years living in Africa and now I’m in Canada. Every new product interests me.
que precio tienen y donde poder adquirirlo
I am interested in this technology can I have more information and when is going to the market and what is the cost like.