Solar and wind energy are two forms of renewable energy that are critical to a climate-friendly future. In recent years, many businesses and homeowners have installed solar panels to capture thesun energy, while wind farms have sprung up on land and on water to harvest energy from the wind.
The French startup unéole created a one-of-a-kind wind turbine. It is combined with solar panels to create a clean, silent, innovative and integrated energy system that offers the same surface area 40% more usable energy compared to photovoltaic alone. And this makes it a very valid competitor in the race for sustainable resources.
An energy system… cubed
The device is made from recycled metallic materials: working with a specialist designer, ESER, Unéole adapts its turbines to all types of flat roofs with a surface area starting from 150 square meters (1.615 square feet).
Proprietary software will analyze the parameters of each roof (exposure to sun and wind, inclination, position, etc.) to establish the optimal number of turbines and panels that the integrated energy system will contain. Or, if you prefer, how many cubes it will contain: this is the shape of an Unéole “turbine”.
One step away from commercialisation
At present, a test device has been installed for some time in Pas-de-Calais, France. Given the results, the company says, the production phase is approaching: urban use of the energy system, as mentioned, can increase energy production by up to 40%: in the evening and in winter, it will collect more energy than a simple panel array.
(The same applies during winter or in the evening.) Best of all, the device is certified silent by CEREMA, the French agency that certifies devices that guarantee certain parameters (such as electromagnetic safety and, indeed, silence).
What to say? It is the second, very interesting signal that comes from France after Windboxes, which we told you about here. (a very interesting one, Airon, we also have it in Italy): renewables for domestic use are warming up the engines to give us an increasingly sustainable future.
