Rooftop wind energy innovator recognised by innovation hub

The creator of a patented rooftop wind harvesting platform that harnesses the power of wind in smaller footprints, including for commercial buildings, at a competitive cost has been chosen as the Startup of the Year by Texas Tech University’s (TTU) Office of Research Commercialisation.

Houston-based Aeromine Technologies is the 2024 recipient of the award for early-stage companies which are commercialising Texas Tech University System Intellectual Property and contributing to and innovation ecosystem in West Texas.

On-site electricity

Aeromine was founded in 2022 and was originally supported by the Emerging Technology Fund of the Texas Governor’s office and TTU Innovation Hub programming. Research on the project was conducted with Texas Tech University and Sandia National Laboratories.

Designed to produce energy independently or integrate seamlessly with existing solar arrays, Aeromine’s motionless, quiet units easily adapt to existing electrical infrastructures. Unlike large onshore and offshore wind farms, The space-efficient units are mounted on the edge of a building’s roof and have no external moving parts or blades, capturing wind flowing up and over buildings and converting it into on-site electricity.

“Aeromine fills a critical market need by providing incremental on-site generation, allowing customers and buildings to maximise the energy harvested on their rooftops”

The technology claims to enable apartment buildings, warehouses, manufacturing facilities, offices, hospitals, retail centres, and nearly any large building with flat unobstructed roofs to generate up to 100 per cent of their energy needs on site. The technology leverages aerodynamics, similar to airfoils on a race car, to capture and amplify each building’s airflow to generate around-the-clock energy. Systems typically consist of 20-40 units installed on the edge of a building facing the predominant wind direction.

By generating power on-site, Aeromine eliminates disruptions  due to grid instability and reduces the environmental impact of transporting energy during extreme weather events.