The energy crisis is not abating in Spain and climate change continues to threaten the future of humanity. The best strategies for reducing electricity and gas expenses are through solutions such as paint that protects your home by up to 15 degrees, imitating nature, or Spanish solar panels to put on the balcony. However, among renewable energies, wind power has yet to fully exploit its capacity to offer cheap electricity to homes.

Although there are small wind solutions leading up to it, such as powerful wind turbines that you can install in your home for 1,100 euros and last for 20 years, the most promising initiatives are those based on turbines with a vertical shaft, capable of capturing the force of the wind from all directions. This is what the Norwegian company Ventum Dynamics offers, which has been working on the development of its own solutions for roof mounting of residential, commercial and industrial buildings for more than six years.

The Stavanger-based company is working on a new, more powerful and efficient prototype, but in recent months has installed its first units of an omnidirectional wind turbine in pilot projects in Norway and the UK. If these tests confirm the efficiency and feasibility estimated by your technician, one of these turbines can produce up to 1500 W constantlyalthough it always depends on wind conditions.

How does it work

Vertical axis wind turbines (or VAWTs) such as those proposed by Ventum are an interesting solution for renewable energy generation. The design allows the blade to rotate around an axis perpendicular to the ground and this implies just that adapt to changes in wind direction without the need to reorient or make any kind of mechanical adjustments.

This is a way to avoid problems that can be caused by fluctuations in wind direction and speed. that’s why they are ideal for urban environmental conditionsbecause in cities buildings and other obstructions can cause changes in wind direction and areas experiencing turbulence, where the production of this type of turbine is not reduced.

The Ventum VAWT works independently or is connected to the power grid and, according to the company, owns the system Plug and playWith what each turbine can be installed in one day. With a diameter and height of about 2 meters, the design is compact and quiet, making it ideal for replacing rooftop solar panels or using its energy in combination with photovoltaic panels.

Operation is very simple: when the wind reaches the structure, it is directed upwards and spins the propellers which is responsible for capturing the kinetic energy of the air. Lacking the usual moving parts in traditional horizontal axis wind turbine nacelles, they require less maintenance. The design also makes it possible to reduce internal turbulence and prevent overheating, which implies a huge increase in its efficiency.

At the level of domestic consumption, turbines can be integrated into chalets as well as detached houses, in a new ecological housing program or in an old collective housing renovation project. Made of eco-friendly, strong and weather resistant materials, they also offer long term durability.

They are still in the testing phase, but the measured performance of these turbines includes a wide range of wind forces. It works at low speed, generating 187 W when the wind blows at 6 meters per second. The number increases as the speed increases. from 900 W at 11 m/s wind speed to 1500 W at 13 m/sbased on calculations based on theoretical conceptual performance of turbine and generator components in recent field tests.

When installing it, whether in a residential, commercial or industrial building, you must first find a location that will allow you to obtain optimal efficiency. That’s what Ventum IoT tackles, exclusive software from the Norwegian company itself that studies the wind potential of each building and choose the most appropriate place for its installation. In addition, Ventum offers remote turbine monitoring, which enables predictive service calls and reduces maintenance costs.

first installation

Earlier this year, the Ventum Dynamics team delivered the first version 3.1 turbines, ready for installation in pilot projects in Norway and the UK. Three of them are already shining on the roof of the SR Group industrial group headquarters, to simulate real situations and test the scalability of your technology.

What they are looking for is to collect as much data as possible about the performance of turbines in different wind conditions, whether connected to the grid or off, in order to further refine the design and offers better features in future versions.

“Installation of additional turbines as well will help to better understand the impact of wind turbines on the environment and to identify potential problems that may arise,” said on the company website.

Meanwhile, in two small towns in eastern England, such as Spalding and Skegness, their wind turbines are full. There, the FreshLinc company, which specializes in food distribution, has been installed a rooftop turbine that helps meet your huge energy needs.

For its part, Skegness’ main tourist attraction, its wharves open to the North Sea, offer incredible wind speeds and have been Ventum’s masterpiece for the general public. This turbine is not connected to the grid and responsible for providing power to the entire wharf lighting system.

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