Monday, May 4, 2009

"WindCube" Targeted For Urban Commercial Real Estate

Renewable energy is becoming more popular and affordable. The benefits to transferring your energy requirements to a renewable energy source have been well documented. When sourcing energy from the wind, the huge windmill type structures are what come to mind. Yesterday, at the WindPower 2009 industry trade show a new product and design geared toward the commercial real estate industry was unveiled.  

The WindCube, is a 22-foot-tall footprint intended to be installed on rooftops that can supply energy to a single commercial or industrial site.  The initial objective of the "Cube" is to create wind power in an urban setting. The standard towering turbines we've seen on TV or at "wind farms", can't be utilized in an urban setting. Typically, there isn't enough room for the turbines to rotate to generate adequate energy.  Northeast Ohio based, Green Energy Technologies will manufacture the state-of-the-art turbines.

The cost for these units can range up to $300,000 for one cube. However, through tax tax credits and incentives, about 70% of the set-up costs would be returned. Therefore, it is estimated that the balance of the purchase would be paid back in approximately, 2-3 years. Since the initial target market is urban buildings, the commercial real estate industry will need to take notice.

Here is an animation link on how the "Cube" works:  


Entering the energy business is already an income source for some landlords.  As the costs for infrastructure continue to decline, renewable energy for commercial buildings and their tenants will become more mainstream.  While the environmental benefits are acknowledged, the revenue streams from this opportunity are significant.  Depending on the application and location, ancillary revenue generated can equal into the millions of found revenue.  

I am not affiliated with Green Energy Technologies in any way.  I am a proponent of new technology that can help commercial real estate owners drive revenue to their bottom-lines.  I believe this footprint could be the wave of the future as costs decrease and infrastructure shrinks.  One thing is clear.  This technology will make Wind Energy more affordable to a larger audience and can be a huge ancillary revenue source for commercial property owners across the world.  

2 comments:

  1. Shrouded turbine are not new. the key is swept area and for $300K there are 5 or six companies that produce vertical turbine just like the one jay lenno uses. They are typically 20% more efficient. The one upside for the shourded turbine has nothing to do with green technology. Quite the opposite!!! It is used to get arround the billboard laws since it is difficult to stop renewable energy projects. 10 times the revenue from advertising as you get from the power!

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  2. Turning a turbine into an advertising resource would be very lucrative. As you mention, its hard to stop a renewable energy project. However, many municipalities would require alterations to the design to restrict advertising. In some cases, cities would require to share in the revenue generated from the signs. While it sounds crazy and like extortion, it does occur.

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