BMW Trials Motionless Wind Energy in UK

The motionless wind energy system, designed by Aeromine Technologies and installed at BMW Group’s Oxford plant, features wing-like vertical airfoils that create a vacuum effect, drawing air behind an internal propeller to generate clean electricity. The bladeless design minimises noise and vibrations.

September 09, 2024. By EI News Network

BMW Group has announced the installation of the UK’s first ‘motionless’ wind energy system at the MINI manufacturing plant in Oxford. Utilising Aeromine Technologies’ innovative, low-impact technology, the system harnesses wind power to produce clean energy without visible moving parts.

According to a statement by the company, BMW Group’s Oxford Plant will serve as a testbed for this cutting-edge technology, assessing its potential to enhance energy efficiency across BMW Group sites around the world, as well as commercial buildings in the UK.

Aeromine Technologies has designed the wind energy unit, which is installed on the edge of a building, oriented towards the prevailing wind. The unit features wing-like vertical airfoils that create a vacuum effect, drawing air behind an internal propeller to generate clean electricity.

Unlike traditional wind turbines, Aeromine’s bladeless design minimises noise and vibrations, ensuring no disturbance to buildings or the surrounding environment and with minimal impact on avian wildlife.

The new wind energy unit is designed to complement MINI Plant Oxford’s existing solar arrays across the buildings on site. The installation on the Body Shop has been in place for ten years and, when it was installed, was one of the largest roof-mounted solar farms in the UK with more than 11,000 panels covering an area the size of five football pitches. The solar panels generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of 850 households for a year.

However, according to the company, the solar panels are less effective during winter and evening hours, when wind conditions are often strongest – presenting an opportunity for Aeromine’s wind energy unit to step in and continue generating renewable energy.

Urs Sambale, Project Manager for Sustainability Steering at BMW Group Real Estate Europe, said, “This pilot is a small but exciting project for BMW Group and complements our existing approach to purchasing renewable electricity from the national grid. We’re looking forward to seeing its potential for generating clean wind energy at BMW Group sites.”

Claus Lonborg, Managing Director, Aeromine Technologies Inc., said, “Our ‘motionless’ wind energy technology is designed to work seamlessly alongside solar systems, maximising the renewable energy output from rooftops while helping address challenges like noise, vibrations, and wildlife impact. We’re excited to see how this initial installation can lead to broader applications across BMW’s global facilities.”

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Wind Power

BMW Group

Aeromine Technologies

BMW Oxford plant

Motionless wind energy

Wind energy technology

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Wind Energy

Innovation in wind energy

Claus Lonborg

Urs Sambale