Overview

We just made a big step forward when it comes to solving our energy needs. A company has created “motionless” wind energy units that can be placed on rooftops, and they deliver 150% the energy as solar panels for the same cost. What’s more, according to the company, they take up just 10% of the roof space.

The science and other stuff to know

Aeromine is a prototype windmill for home and industrial use. In a recent press release, the company noted that the tech can generate more energy than solar panels, which have become the typical energy alternative for many who want to adopt more environmentally friendly practices.

The development of this prototype was driven by a collaboration between Texas Tech University, Westergaard Solutions Inc., and Sandia National Laboratory. After conducting wind tunnel tests, the team concluded that an Aeromine unit is capable of producing the same energy as 16 conventional solar panels.

But although they take up less space than solar tech, that doesn’t mean that the Aeromine design is small. One unit is up to 5 meters (16 feet) tall. This is one of the disadvantages worth considering. Although it’s not noisy, it has a very considerable vertical size, which could affect the city planning of neighborhoods or residential areas where it is intended to be installed. Yet, given that its width is relatively small, it can easily be placed in a row with other devices of its type.

The rectangular unit contains a cylinder and a fan with blades arranged across it, typically at the base of the device. As the wind begins to sneak between the longitudinal fins that surround the cylinder, its structure creates a zone of lower pressure — similar to what happens to the surrounding air on the wings of an airplane. This causes the airflow to enter the system and reach the fan, setting it in motion. A generator converts the mechanical energy of the wind into electrical energy available for use.

The system is “motionless” in that, unlike most wind-based systems, it doesn’t have large rotating blades on the outside of the unit. Regarding the effectiveness of this design, its efficiency depends on the constancy in the direction of the wind. Adapting this design to solve this issue wouldn’t be easy, as the blades are static because the costs of making them mobile would make it no longer an accessible technology.

So what?

The energy challenge facing our society — and the catastrophic impact our energy production is having on the environment — means we are in a race against time. We need to transition our supply model into a sustainable one. In this respect, Aeromine’s potential is enormous. If its development is perfected and scaled, it could serve as an accessible technology that can provide renewable energy to homes and businesses, significantly reducing their carbon footprints.

Yet, it must be noted that, while wind energy is an excellent alternative, its implementation is more efficient if it is complemented with a different type of device, such as a solar panel. So that they can generate energy jointly, taking advantage of the alternation of both resources.

What’s next?

Turning to a sustainable energy model is necessary. Current data on greenhouse gas emissions are increasingly alarming, and the consequences are increasingly implacable. According to a United Nations report: “Without an immediate reduction in emissions in all sectors, it will be impossible to limit global warming to 1.5°C (2.7°F).” In over to avoid significant environmental degradation, the report notes that global greenhouse gas emissions need to be reduced by 43 percent by 2030.

We have less than a decade to halve our carbon footprint and avoid environmental catastrophe, and technologies like this are pointing to a possible way forward.