Monika Heinold: “Energy transition and research thought together”
Schleswig-Holstein’s Finance Minister Monika Heinold informed herself about the wind turbines installed by LuvSide on the roof of Kiel University of Applied Sciences and puts it in a nutshell: “This project impressively shows how energy transition and research are thought together.”
On the roof of the Kiel University of Applied Sciences, energy transition and research are linked: since May 2023, two of our LS Helix 3.0 small wind turbines with a diameter of 2.20 metres and a height of 4 metres have been in operation there. Finance Minister Monika Heinold informed herself about the turbines on site and emphasised: “This project impressively shows how energy transition and research are thought together. In times of climate change, we are thus providing important impetus for a sustainable and energy-efficient future in Schleswig-Holstein.”
9 kWp nominal power
The electricity generated is consumed directly in the building of the university of applied sciences. The wind turbines are not only used for the sustainable generation of energy, they are also used in teaching. After all, experts like Prof. Andreas Luczak teach their basics in several degree courses. “In the associated laboratories, we are currently using simulation tools and measurements on models of wind turbines,” the professor of sustainable energy technologies elaborates. “The wind turbines installed on the faculty building now offer the opportunity to integrate the operation of real wind turbines into our laboratories. Even though the output is of course much smaller than that of typical large-scale plants, many basic technological principles are very similar and can now be vividly experienced by the students using a real object. As part of semester projects, they can also work on more complex topics such as analysing and optimising the efficiency of the wind turbines as preparation for similar problems in their professional lives.”
Low-noise operation enables shorter distance to surrounding residential buildings
In contrast to conventional large wind turbines, the installed wind turbines have an optimised rotor with a vertical axis of rotation. This design has a lower noise pollution for the surrounding buildings than the usual horizontal turbines with three rotor blades. Both wind turbines start up at a wind speed of 4 m/s (14.4 km/h). In stormy weather, an overload clutch decouples the rotor from the generator.
