German company LuvSide launched a pilot project in the V&A Waterfront featuring four 1kW small-scale wind turbines. These drag-style turbines are seen as a more aesthetic option coupling that with their ability to capture wind from all angles, they are a good fit for urban environments. The four turbines are strategically placed in a passage between two buildings in the Silo district near the Zeitz Mocaa to charge batteries – with the turbines able to throttle down to a standstill as the batteries fill up and discharge.
This two-part project aims to test the feasibility of integrating small-scale wind energy into urban environments. Over the next year, LuvSide will collect data to assess the potential for scaling this technology and incorporating it into larger sustainability strategies.
The second part of the project is based at the Atlantis Special Greentech Economic Zone where LuvSide will deploy a larger installation of its horizontal turbines.
The V&A Waterfront sees this initiative as an opportunity to raise awareness about renewable energy and demonstrate cutting-edge practices in sustainability. The wind turbines, highly visible in this often-windy location, serve as a reminder of the importance of protecting the environment for future generations.
LuvSide, founded by Ralph Hoffmann, has been developing small-scale wind turbines for over a decade. Hoffmann, a passionate windsurfer with a deep connection to Cape Town, was inspired to create a sustainable solution with real-world impact.
Hoffmann envisions a future where small-scale wind turbines become as commonplace as solar panels, contributing significantly to the global energy transition. The company is confident that continued advancements in technology and mass production will make wind energy more accessible and affordable for everyone.
When Bizcommunity asked Rodney Love, CEO of LuvSide’s local partner ESA, about possible local manufacturing he limited that possibility to “turbine blades” claiming that the German engineering in the generators was too complex to implement.
LuvSide mechanical engineer Ashwin Vijay, however, explained that the specification could be made available to a local commercial partner and the company is looking towards that as a future development.
Besides targeting other retail complexes and households with the LS Double Helix turbine, LuvSide South Africa is also marketing the larger and more efficient LS HuraKan horizontal-axis turbine to factories, mines and farms.
While not entirely noiseless, the 8kW turbines incorporate a flexible-blade suspension that is able to change angle to improve yields and also reduce the diameter of the rotor to prevent any disengagement at high wind speeds.
“We see the solution as being particularly relevant to 24/7 operations with solar PV that want to continue using renewable electricity at night,” said Love.
He is also optimistic that many of the components in both the horizontal-axis and vertical-axis turbines can be produced locally, noting that some local components were already successfully used for the initial installation and helped reduce the overall cost of the project.
“Currently the mast and base are being made locally for all turbines. But this is only the starting point, as we have competent local steel fabricators and using them will help offset high European labour rates and expensive travel costs. We’re also currently investigating the blades for local production and locally sourcing electrical components,” concluded Love.
