BOSTON FLIES ARCHITECTURAL WIND

Architectural Wind is a really unique concept in “small wind.” It is being brought along slowly by Aerovironment, one of the longest-standing innovators in the New Energy business.

The idea: Architectural Wind is to wind energy what solar panel installations are to solar energy. The “small, modular building-integrated wind turbine system…” makes it possible for any mid-sized commercial building to have its own “wind mill” regardless of the surroundings. Designed for “…easy installation without structural impact…” Architectural Wind requires no tall support towers.

A new, 20-turbine, 20-kilowatt Architectural Wind system was just installed at Logan International Airport in Boston (without any disruption of business or occupancy). The (patented) design allows the small, visually interesting turbines to be mounted at the edge of a building in the “sweet spot” of the wind flow (where there is a natural acceleration in wind speed when it hits the building and goes up).

Result: 50% increase in power generation.

Distributed generation from small wind systems is probably one of the most overlooked markets in the domestic energy sector. Not that small wind installers are hurting for business. Anecdotal reports say they are too busy to get to all their installation requests.

Sounds like a good investment opportunity…

More information on small wind is available from the American Wind Energy Association.

The Logan Airport installation. (click to enlarge)

AV’s Architetural Wind System Installed at Boston’s Logan Airport, Home of 1st LEED-Certified Air Terminal
July 22, 2008 (Aerovironment)

WHO
AeroVironment, Inc. (AV); Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) (Terry Civic, Project Manager);

WHAT
AV’s Architectural Wind system has been installed at the Logan International Airport Office Center.

Logan Airport, another view. (click to enlarge)

WHEN
- AV has been engaged in wind energy development since 1977 and has participated in 250+ wind projects.
- In 2007, Architectural Wind won the Red Dot International Design award (for design concept in the “green” category) and the Annual Design Review award (in the equipment category) from I.D., The International Design Magazine.

WHERE
- Logan International Airport Office Center is Boston’s airflight hub.
- Architectural Wind systems have been installed across the U.S., including on the new Kettle Foods potato chip factory in Beloit , Wis., the Laughlin Air Force Base near Del Rio, Tex., and the St. Louis County Government Service Center inSt. Louis, Mo.

WHY
- The installation: 20 five-bladed 1-kilowatt wind turbines, linked into the building’s comprehensive energy management system.
- AV is a leader in unmanned aircraft systems and the company’s Puma UAV was recently awarded further funding by U.S. Special Operations Command. AV’s PosiCharge® fast charge system is a world leader in battery-charging technology.
- The first U.S. airport terminal to be awarded Gold Level certification for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) by the U.S. Green Building Council is at Logan International Airport.

Aerovironment was founded by engineering genius Paul MacCready, the man who achieved human-powered flight. (click to enlarge)

QUOTES
Terry Civic, Project Manager, MassPort: “At Massport, we are continually striving to improve our facilities – making them more energy efficient as well as environmentally and user friendly…The installation of the Architectural Wind turbines at Logan Airport is one of the many initiatives underway designed to exceed national standards for energy efficiency, and we look forward to significant energy-saving results.”