Solar cells above, wind turbines below – that means electricity around the clock! The French company Unéole presents a way to maximize sustainable power generation.
Sustainable energy, even when the sun doesn’t shine – this is the goal the French start-up Unéole has set itself. (Source: Screenshot YouTube)
- The French company Unéole combines photovoltaics with wind turbines in one system.
- On average, the solar modules contribute 60 percent of the yield, the wind turbines 40 percent.
- In some regions, sustainable electricity can be generated around the clock in this way.
Alternative energy production sometimes only works in daylight (photovoltaics) or only when the wind is blowing (wind power). But what if you simply combine both forms of energy generation? The start-up Unéole is implementing this idea, which is actually quite obvious. The approach is as innovative and promising as the same combination in connection with an offshore wind turbine.
The hybrid systems are suitable both for smaller houses and for the environmentally friendly energy supply of larger urban building complexes. The ideal number and size of the turbines and photovoltaic modules used is planned individually for each project in advance.
Quiet, efficient, sustainably produced
The quiet operation of the hybrid power plant was certified by the state organization Cerema. It was also checked whether the turbines emit potentially harmful electromagnetic waves and their harmlessness was certified. Some prototypes have been in operation for years.
The system shown in the picture is around four meters high and has two parallel wind turbines. The company does not disclose earnings. The material used for production (steel and aluminum) comes from recycling stocks and was processed by local companies in order to keep the ecological footprint as low as possible during production.
The principle of the system can be scaled and used, for example, in public car parks and other buildings with flat roofs. A larger installation of this type was installed last year at CD2e LumiWatt, a renewable energy environmental organization in northern France. According to Unéole, the knowledge gained there is extremely promising. Now the start-up hopes to be able to set up further plants with financial injections.
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