Turbine-free wind turbines for rooftops

Summary: Well, not really turbines. Here the wind is drawn in between two aerofoils, similar to aeroplane wings. They create a negative pressure that sucks the wind that’s hitting the building through an internal propeller on the bottom of the unit. It’s undergoing trials - so one to watch.

Why this is important: Could be a great fit with solar and batteries for local distributed energy and microgrids.

The big theme: If we are to decarbonise our energy system, local distributed energy is going to play an important role. Local solar, wind and batteries could make communities largely self-sufficient. And this is not just a developing world issue, microgrids, as they are known, can also aid grid resilience in developed markets. We are all familiar with how quickly roof top solar has expanded, but local, small scale wind turbines have been less successful.

Summary of a story from Fast Company:

A typical wind turbine is massive—roughly as tall as the Statue of Liberty, with blades that stretch wider than a football field. (Some are even bigger, like a new offshore turbine from Siemens that has a 774-foot-wide rotor.) By contrast, this new 10-by-10 foot turbine is relatively tiny. And without moving blades, it isn’t immediately recognizable as wind energy tech. The devices, designed by a startup called Aeromine, are meant to sit on the edge of a rooftop instead of out in a field, and can work alongside solar panels.

When it’s perched on a roof, the tech uses the aerodynamic effect of the wall below it. The building amplifies the wind speed, and the wind is drawn in between two airfoils, similar to the shape of airplane wings. As the wind hits those airfoils, it creates a negative pressure that sucks the wind through an internal propeller on the bottom of the unit, which creates the energy production.

Why this is important

Regular readers will know that we are big fans of the potential for local distributed energy and microgrids. But a gap in the armoury of this type of solution is wind turbines, which can help to balance out periods when there is no solar generation. Some locations can have standalone wind turbines, but rooftop wind is challenging—spinning blades are noisy, distracting, and (like their larger counterparts) can kill birds.

If rooftop wind and solar together can work, in industrial complex’s and on apartment buildings, the need for expensive battery storage can be reduced. This can provide an alternative energy source for EV charging, and for building heating and cooling, reducing the reliance on utility scale infrastructure. Its early days for this particular solution, but it’s a theme worth watching.

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