The L’Arbre à Vent® and its L'Aeroleafs®

Background

Installing mini-turbines on a steel shaft to enhance the integration of this renewable energy system in to its environment is the French start-up’s idea behind the L’Arbre à Vent®. Designed by the company NewWind R & D, this prototype was installed for the first time on the Ile d'Oleron in Charente-Maritime.

A second prototype has now been tested and inaugurated in April 23, 2014 in Pleumeur-Bodou, Brittany. The L’Arbre à Vent® has been supplying electricity to a rodome operated by Telecom City ever since. "I am delighted to see how well the L’Arbre à Vent® can be integrated into the environment. The partnership with Telecom City will allow us to take the necessary final steps towards validating our innovation" said Jérôme Michaud-Larivière, president and founder of New Wind R & D.

In detail, the L’Arbre à Vent® measures 8 meters high, 5.5 meters wide and 1.3 tons in weight. Its trunk and branches are made of steel and support a new wind generator called the L’Aeroleaf®. These 70 small plastic micro-turbines exploit weaker and lower winds, such as wind turbulence found near the surface in urban areas. Unlike traditional turbines that seek to harvest ever higher wind altitudes with constantly growing turbines, NewWind R & D has combined micro-electricity generation with a plurality of turbines. Taking advantage of the lower air flow, it can operate 360 ° in all directions, wind types and scenarios - be these turbulent or laminar, and/or in urban or natural environments. The advantage of this new type of wind energy generation is that it can be located very close to buildings.

Check out below how the L’Aeroleaf® micro-turbines work

Diagramme of the The L’Aeroleaf® micro-turbine

"We want to demonstrate the potential for unused  free energy. Considering that the total energy generated by wind is estimated at over 2,500 terawatts globally and the entire amount required by Mankind is only 14 TW, the L’Arbre à Vent® is a dream come true".

Zero noise

According to Jérôme Michaud-Larivière, the L’Aeroleaf® startS to capture wind at 2 m/s, unlike conventional systems that starts at 4-5 m/s. In addition the system can produce wind energy 280 days a year. Each micro-turbine has a micro-generator (with axial flux and permanent magnet direct drive) and the copper winding has been replaced by a printed circuit.  All cables and control electronics are hidden within the structure of the L’Arbre à Vent®  (branches and trunk).

On roofs near housing

         

"The main advantage of this system is that it does not make noise and can be perfectly integrated in to its environment. As one can imagine, the system can therefore be installed closer to residential areas and homes without problems, unlike conventional wind turbines. For example a 2.5 KW L’Arbre à Vent® can power 15 LED street lights" Another advantage: the materials used have been designed to withstand wind gusts of wind up to 150 km / hour. It is also possible to unclip the leaves in a storm.

On balconies and in gardens

Transition to Renewable Energy

The cost of the prototype currently ranges between 20.000 and 25.000 Euros. Its development was not only institutionally and privately funded, but also via Internet “crowdfunding”. “We are also looking for new investors to produce the prototype on an industrial scale. Aim is to reduce production costs, so that as many people as possible can benefit from this true transitional step towards renewable energy"

The French start-up also hopes to attract investors beyond French borders: "We already have interested customers in Italy, Switzerland, Germany and Greece. For France, Guadeloupe seems very interested. "What remains is to improve the L’Arbre à Vent® in some points. NewWind’s R & D engineers are studying the properties of other materials to replace the plastic leaves with a more environmentally-friendly. The start-up would also expand its L’Aeroleaf® system to adapt the mini-turbines to balcony railings, antennas or relay towers. The first products should be marketed at the end of the year.

Before the end of 2015, a third prototype will be strategically based in Paris to power charging stations for electric cars.

Check out below how well the system works at NewWind's customers!!!

If you like to receive our Newsletter or find out more about what w3.windfair.net has to offer, please, do not hesitate to contact Trevor Sievert at ts@windfair.net.

w3.windfair.net is the largest international B2B internet platform in wind energy – ultimately designed for connecting wind energy enthusiasts and companies across the globe.