Energy

Motionless turbines deliver super-efficient wind energy to BMW's factory

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The UK's first motionless wind energy turbine atop a MINI factory roof
A low pressure zone behind the turbine pulls air through the bottom to power a generator
BMW Group
Multiple turbines can be installed on a rooftop with solar panels in between
The UK's first motionless wind energy turbine atop a MINI factory roof
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Houston-based Aeromine Technologies has fitted a bunch of silent and motionless wind energy harnessing airfoils on the roof of BMW's MINI manufacturing plant in Oxford, UK. They're meant to complement the factory's solar panels to produce clean energy, while taking up a lot less space.

How much less? Aeromine says that each of its turbines – which contain no visible moving parts – require just 10% of rooftop area as a solar panel to produce the same amount of energy. The company also claimed they deliver 50% more energy than solar installations at the same cost.

Aeromine noted back in 2022 that it had been testing its contraptions at chemical manufacturer BASF Corporation's facility in Michigan. The recently installed motionless wind energy system at the MINI plant is the first of its kind in the UK.

Beyond their small footprint, these turbines are also inexpensive to build and maintain. The company says they're made from easily recyclable materials, utilize a sealed generator that doesn't require periodic lubrication, and should last 20 years.

Multiple turbines can be installed on a rooftop with solar panels in between

How do they work?

These turbines are placed on the edges of building roofs, facing the predominant wind direction. As wind accelerates when it goes over the edge of a building, it flows over vertical airfoils positioned on either side of a tall central column. This creates a low-pressure zone behind the column, which causes air to be sucked through the bottom of the device, turning an internal propeller to generate power.

A low pressure zone behind the turbine pulls air through the bottom to power a generator
BMW Group

The big idea with Aeromine's wind harvesters is to complement rooftop solar – which can only generate energy when it's sunny out – so you have a more robust system overall. Since they have a small footprint, you've got lots of space to fit solar panels between turbines.

If this initial project with BMW is successful, Aeromine hopes it'll lead to a wider rollout of its systems across the automaker's facilities elsewhere around the world. The BMW Group is supporting Aeromine through its BMW Startup Garage project that sees it participate as an early customer in cutting-edge tech.

Source: BMW Group

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4 comments
TechGazer
I wouldn't call them motionless turbines, since it still has turbine blades whirring away inside. I'd call them ducted turbines, with the ducting motionless. I recall one from PopSci in the 80's IIRC, where the structure caused a vortex to form, with a small turbine at the base.

I suppose the label doesn't matter if the unit is cost-effective.
myale
Hmm mixing them with solar panels would give shading - which either reduces the effectiveness of the panels or reduces the area for panels around the unit - so still possible but there are compromises
Jinpa
Not for sale? No pricing? Lots of hype, not enough data. These things don't look small, and certainly not as small in footprint as the area of a solar panel, so how about enough effort to get those dimensions, please, both the the turbine machine and for whatever solar panels is being use for the size-comparison claim?
jerryd
They all lie and don't make much power at all.

I just don't understand why they build all these strange useless designs that cost more to build than a normal 2-3 blade WT does that makes 3-10x the power?

If it is anything but a 2-5 blade horizontal design, it just isn't efficient. The 3 blade is the most efficient thus why all commercial WTs use them.