Aeromine Technologies, a pioneering company specializing in rooftop wind energy systems, has announced the acquisition of a $1.1 million grant from the Danish Energy Agency's Energy Technology Development and Demonstration Program (EUDP). In collaboration with the Danish Technical University (DTU), Aeromine will employ these funds to conduct comprehensive performance assessments of its bladeless wind harvesting technology on various building types under different wind conditions.
The innovative Aeromine technology, conceived by Danish inventors Dr. Carsten Westergaard and Martin Manniche, in partnership with climate technology expert David Asarnow, aims to harness the power of aerodynamics to capture wind flow traveling over and around a building's roof and convert it into renewable electricity. The EUDP, which finances emerging green energy technology projects, selected Aeromine based on rigorous criteria, including innovation, alignment with climate policy objectives, and commercial potential.
Aeromine's cutting-edge solution represents the latest chapter in Denmark's storied history of wind power innovation. It introduces compact, motionless wind energy units that do not rely on traditional wind turbines. These silent rooftop units are easy to install and seamlessly integrate with a building's existing electrical and solar energy infrastructure. In an era where manufacturers and building owners are striving to reduce carbon emissions and grapple with the escalating costs of conventional energy sources, Aeromine's product presents a promising solution that addresses both challenges.
Dr. Carsten Westergaard, CTO and Founder of Aeromine, emphasized the significance of receiving the grant in a country known for pioneering significant wind energy technologies. He stated, “Aeromine offers a significant step forward for business and building owners on their journey toward energy independence and achieving Net Zero carbon emissions. This support will aid us in expanding this groundbreaking technology across Denmark and other parts of Europe.”
The founders, Westergaard and Manniche, created Aeromine as an alternative to wind energy solutions reliant on turbines and expansive wind farms. The technology employs aerodynamics, similar to airfoils on a race car, to capture and amplify airflow around each building, generating round-the-clock energy regardless of weather conditions. These space-efficient units can be easily installed directly on the roofs of various commercial buildings, including apartments, offices, warehouses, port terminals, hospitals, and retail centers.
The project's primary objective is to explore the connection between varying wind conditions and energy production by Aeromine in urban settings.
Professor Christian Bak, Head of the Airfoil and Rotor Design Section at the Technical University of Denmark, elaborated on the project, saying, “DTU Wind will perform flow modeling for different building types and measure the performance of the Aeromine to derive improved algorithms for estimating energy production and optimal rooftop placement.”
Aeromine Co-Founder Martin Manniche expressed that they have witnessed a substantial surge of interest in their technology and are scaling up production to meet the growing demand. Manniche emphasized the reliability of wind energy and its ability to complement solar energy, ultimately benefiting businesses and the environment.
Aeromine's wind harvesting devices operate silently, produce green energy without spinning turbine blades, and seamlessly feed the power directly into a building's electrical system, eliminating the need for complex conversions. These devices are characterized by their durability, absence of visible moving parts, noiselessness, and stability. Typically, systems consist of 20 to 40 units installed on a building's edge, oriented towards the prevailing wind direction.
Designed to seamlessly integrate with existing rooftop solar solutions, Aeromine's wind units, when combined with solar technology, have the potential to fulfill 100% of a building's energy needs while reducing the reliance on energy storage solutions.
Claus Loenborg, Managing Director of Europe for Aeromine, emphasized the product's complementarity with solar energy and decentralized wind farms on land and at sea. He noted that the technology has the potential to swiftly increase the share of renewable energy in the overall energy mix by generating energy locally, reducing stress on the electricity grid, and eliminating the environmental impact associated with long-distance energy transport.
Aeromine's system occupies a minimal footprint on a building's roof, utilizing only 10% of the space typically required by solar panels. This provides commercial property owners with an attractive and practical solution, particularly in light of rising energy demands.
