Start-up wants to turn cable cars into wind and solar power plants

In the mountains, the wind often blows quite strongly. Winter sports enthusiasts will have noticed this fact when they had to sit trembling on the chairlift. The startup mountain wind has the idea of ​​using the wind conditions in the mountains in combination with the existing infrastructure. Outside of operating hours, instead of chairs, gondolas or towing brackets should be used Wind turbines or photovoltaic modules clamped to the ropes become.

Wind and infrastructure available

“With the expansion of renewable energies in the future, areas scarce that’s why I looked up,” says Ibrahim Sagerer-Foric, the founder of mountain wind. “Austria consists of two-thirds mountains and there are a lot Cableways. Die most of the year will the not used.” At the same time, there is huge wind potential in the Bergland. Sagerer-Foric then founded Bergwind.

Power plant combination on the rope

The start-up is now in the process of developing power plants that are precisely adapted to the conditions on cable cars. You should outside of business hours be threaded onto the hoisting rope of lifts. At high altitudes with little vegetation, wind turbines are ideal, further down at the lift, where ski slopes have flatter run-off zones for lifts and there is less wind, photovoltaic modules would be more appropriate. A site-specific one combination of power plants would then extend from the mountain to the valley station. The ropeway motor would stand still after threading has taken place.

The electricity generated would be transmitted from one module to the next using trailing cables. power lines for further transport are already available at cable cars. “Another advantage is that it’s everywhere wind sensors there,” says Sagerer-Foric. If you have access to wind data, it makes individual planning easy.

Up to 4 meters in diameter

Turbines with carbon fiber rotors that turn independently in the direction of the wind are used to generate electricity. In the future, the turbines will come in two sizes, with 3 Kilowatt power and a rotor diameter of 2.6 meters, as well as with 5 kW and 4 meters, give. Oscillations caused by the wind should by the Gyroscope Effect to be dampened. The rotors of the turbines rotate relatively quickly during operation – which supposedly makes them easier to perceive for birds.

First prototypes of the turbines have already been built. Will be in spring Practical tests with several turbines take place on a rope, in which the dynamics of several power plants running in parallel are analyzed.

Multiple recycling options

According to the Bergwind founder, the advantage of hanging power plants is that they no extra space is needed. Grazing animals and hikers remain undisturbed, and the wind turbines can hardly be heard during operation. Ski resorts could thus be part of their Meet electricity needs in a sustainable way. A lift on which 20 to 30 turbines are installed should have an annual yield of 2000 to 3000 kilowatt hours.

The electricity can either flow directly into the operation of machines. According to Sagerer-Foric, you could also use it charging electric vehicles, generate hydrogen or feed hotel heating systems. It is even possible to pump water into reservoirs for snow cannons and with it small pumped storage power plants to realize.

Flagship for climate protection

That should not be neglected either advertising effect: “Ski areas all over Europe are working on alternative energy concepts.” The interest in the Bergwind solution is high, including from companies who are considering placing their brand on the rotor blades of the cable car wind turbines: “It’s a eye-catcher.” In any case, you can tell that you’ve hit a nerve.