Patented wind turbine array system designed to create an Integrated Energy Management System on commercial and industrial building rooftops.
Hover Energy contacted Realtime to perform a simple gap analysis of a design in-process, but soon recognized that they needed Realtime’s capability as a Systems Integrator. Hover needed a working prototype to demonstrate concept feasibility, and to show their investors how their disruptive concept works in a microgrid environment. They knew Realtime and our engineers would be the right team to manage the mechanical and electrical design needs for their rooftop-mounted wind turbine.
Creating renewable energy onsite with a low-cost, efficient microgrid gives users control over their clean power usage and availability, without the noise or vibration of a typical wind turbine.
A microgrid is a small group of interconnected loads and resources that are electrically networked acting as an independently controllable entity with respect to the grid. A microgrid can connect and disconnect from the grid to enable it to operate in both grid-connected or “island” mode.
Microgrids are well-suited for renewable energy sources because they can rapidly re-configure their batteries, generative sources, and loads, to manage power flow as the environmental conditions vary. They can complement the national grid or work independently from it, providing communities with access to more sustainable and resilient energy supplies.
Hover’s wind turbine is uniquely designed to be used in a microgrid because of its size and flexibility. Hover needed a control system design that could rapidly integrate multiple turbines with batteries and other energy sources such as solar and hydrogen sources.
Hover’s wind turbine is able to exploit the unique aerodynamic properties of wind flowing over building structures to improve energy conversion efficiencies. Their proprietary design also utilizes a “wind lens” to maximize airflow across the rotor and to more effectively move the turbulent air away from the rotor on the downstream side. This is done using a diffuser on the outflow section that works in much the same way as a Formula 1 car does to reduce drag.
Hover’s innovation means accessibility to renewable energy at an affordable price. It also presents opportunities to generate and provide power in commercial and industrial places that were previously overlooked.
Realtime came in with our multidisciplinary approach and team of experts to provide the electrical control system architecture, systems integration, software development industrial design, design validation testing, program management, and validation testing.
This 12’ x 15’ turbine is the culmination of significant development in aerodynamics, controls, and mechanical engineering. With traditional horizontal axis wind turbines, the aerodynamics can improve only to the point of size and aspect ratio of the airfoil. For this reason, these megawatt-class turbines have grown incredibly large to bypass their inefficiencies. Some of this loss is needed due to the change in airmass velocity providing the turn rate for the propeller system. However, at any single point in time, the airmass is only used by this style of turbine on the initial impact of air
The Hover solution needed a comprehensive solution for remote monitoring, management, and control of their microgrid solution. Their unique concept required a global access, site-agnostic platform that provided secure connectivity for its growing network of installations. The architecture needed to support multiple turbines as well as hybrid solar-wind configurations, with energy storage options. Additionally, it had to be designed for future integration of modules that will support demand management, charge optimization, asset utilization, and billing for Hover’s multiple business models.
Realtime met this need with a multidisciplinary team of Industrial Designers, Software Developers, Systems Architects, and Control Systems specialists to create a custom solution at a fraction of expected development costs.
Energy captured by both sources is directed to an Integrated Energy Management System (IEMS), where the energy is combined, conditioned, and converted to three-phase AC power. The IEMS connects directly to the building management system, helping to power the building’s electricity needs. Excess power—including unused power generated at night by the wind turbines—can be stored in batteries for later use.
When all three elements are combined—the wind turbines, the solar array, and the battery system—Hover’s wind-powered microgrid can potentially offset 100% of a building’s power consumption.
“That can change how we view the future of power,”
The field of green energy, and wind energy specifically, is only growing. The market differentiator that Hover presents is the microgrid system capability, the compact size, and the unique design that incorporates wind and solar energy together.
Realtime’s current push is to take the Hover Energy Wind Turbine from the prototype design, modify it, and take it into the production design stage. Our team is continuing to look for more ways to gain efficiency and lower costs for these turbines.
Hover Energy and Realtime have a continued partnership that will focus on continued testing and a clear mandate to maximize the performance of an already groundbreaking discovery, thereby making the HAS & IEMS as safe, productive, efficient, and reliable as possible.
“We love to get involved with projects like Hover, because our employees thrive on solving problems that have a positive impact on people’s lives.
"I just want to give a shoutout to [Realtime and Dave Felio] – You and the entire team have been absolutely outstanding in helping us make our product better. From start to finish from the day you did your phase zero analysis, until the last iteration we made on the IEMS, all of it. You have added value at every stage. From initial design to final manufacturing, to all the troubleshooting, all the iterations we’ve made. Continuous design, improvements, performance improvements, performance testing… you name it, The Realtime Group has stepped up and done a terrific job. … Our wind-powered microgrid is going to work better because of you!”
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