AirLoom Energy

AirLoom Energy is a Wyoming-based startup that has developed a novel wind energy generation system designed to significantly reduce the costs associated with wind power. The company's patented Airloom device utilizes an innovative approach involving an oval track suspended at a height of around 25 meters (82 feet) from the ground. Vertically oriented wings or blades, measuring 10 meters (33 feet) in length, travel along this track, capturing wind energy through their motion.

The Airloom system operates on the same fundamental principles as conventional horizontal-axis wind turbines (HAWTs) but employs a radically different configuration. This unique design allows the Airloom device to generate the same amount of power as a HAWT while using substantially less material and requiring a smaller footprint. According to the company, an entire 2.5-megawatt (MW) Airloom unit can be transported using a single standard tractor-trailer, significantly reducing logistics and transportation costs.

AirLoom Energy claims that its technology can produce wind energy at a levelized cost of energy (LCOE) of around USD 13 per megawatt-hour, which is approximately one-third the cost of conventional wind turbines. This dramatic cost reduction is achieved through a combination of factors, including the use of readily available materials, modular design, and ease of transportation and installation.

In November 2023, the company raised USD 4 million in seed funding led by Breakthrough Energy Ventures, a venture capital firm founded by Bill Gates to support innovative clean energy technologies. This funding will be used to further develop and scale up the Airloom test device, which currently has a capacity of 50 kilowatts.

AirLoom Energy's long-term goal is to deploy utility-scale wind farms utilizing its innovative technology, potentially disrupting the traditional wind energy industry. The company aims to produce megawatt-scale devices and eventually construct wind farms with hundreds of megawatts of capacity at a fraction of the cost of conventional wind farms.