A new startup is looking to install bladeless rooftop wind turbines on residential and commercial buildings after closing a US$9 million funding round.
Veriten, a Texas-based research and investing firm, is the lead investor in Aeromine, the start-up deploying the turbines.
Aeromine’s “wind harvesting platforms” are 50-kilowatt or larger units that mount on the wind-facing edge of flat-roof buildings. The units capture air flowing over the building and use an aerodynamic design that amplifies airflow and channels it between two airfoils. The wind moving through the foils lowers pressure to wind up through an intake vent and into an internal generator, explains MSN.
The platforms run silently and have no external moving parts, reducing the negative impacts that larger wind turbines can have on nearby environments and communities. Platform systems generally consist of 20 to 40 units and can meet up to 100% of a building’s energy needs, but only require 10% of the space typically used by solar panels, the company says.
The design holds out hope for wider use of distributed power, which is produced onsite or near the point of final demand, rather than being transported from a centralized grid.
“We believe that distributed power innovation will play a vital role in helping companies fulfill their need for reliable, reasonably priced electricity and desire for low-impact power,” said Veriten founder and CEO Maynard Holt.
“Distributed power is a key and increasingly strategic element to an evolving ‘all the above’ energy mix,” he added.
Aeromine launched in 2022. Since then, it has secured 400 qualified projects for customers across various sectors in the U.S. and Europe, the company says Aeromine in an online release.
“We are receiving a huge amount of interest in the technology and are ramping up production to meet demands,” said Aeromine co-founder Martin Manniche, after the startup received a $1.1-million grant from the Danish Energy Agency last fall.
“Wind is the most reliable energy source available, but until now, it hasn’t been a great fit for local business owners,” Manniche said. “Combined with solar, Aeromine can make a huge difference for businesses and the environment.”
