Airloom Energy takes critical step towards US energy security

At this research and development site, Airloom Energy will build out its first utility-scale turbine, designed to generate more energy at lower cost and increased efficiency amid the US’ prevailing need for energy security and independence.

According to a report from the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC), approximately half of the US is at risk of energy shortfalls that could cause outages and reduced power supplies by 2035. Combined with surging demand from the increased use of artificial intelligence (AI) and reliance on data centres, global research and advisory firm, Gartner, predicts 40% of existing facilities around the world will be constrained by access to sufficient power by as soon as 2027. Low-cost, high-efficiency energy is critical for the grid – requiring bold innovation and long-overdue improvements to power system design and deployment.

Neal Rickner, CEO of Airloom Energy, responded: “Current energy technologies cannot meet the growing complexity and demand of the next decade. With growing electricity needs, we need more flexible systems that can be built quickly, and deployed anywhere at large scale. That’s the only way we’re going to achieve and maintain energy security and independence. Airloom’s proprietary, US-manufactured turbines do just that – replacing bulky, costly models with low-cost compact designs that generate more energy in less space. This ground breaking marks a key milestone in validating our power curve and achieving essential cost efficiencies for wind energy.”

Traditional horizontal-axis wind turbines (HAWTs), are increasingly less cost-competitive and difficult to construct. Made in low volumes and at massive scale, this approach has resulted in restricted innovation, limited sites for deployment, and a stagnation in levelised-cost of energy (LCOE).

Comparatively, Airloom Energy designs a next generation of turbines that add to the energy mix while yielding substantial cost savings and boosts in efficiency, even without subsidies.

• High-density architecture at utility scale: Airloom Energy’s modular turbines feature rectangular swept areas instead of traditional circular ones, increasing wind capture and improving energy conversion efficiency – meeting the growing need to generate more power in less space as land use and regulations evolve.
• Faster deployment at lower cost: Unlike traditional turbines that can take up to five years to deploy, Airloom Energy’s 30-year turbines – built with low-cost, mass-manufacturable components, and minimal infrastructure needs – can be installed in under a year, supporting more reliable energy generation through simplified supply chains.
• Universal deployability, close to home: By using smaller, mass manufacturable parts made in the US to simplify transportation, installation, and maintenance, Airloom Energy can deploy its wind turbines at low-wind sites, those with height or viewability restrictions such as airports or military stations, or even in difficult to access mountainous areas or islands that have minimal infrastructure.

Paul Judge, former Head of Product Management at GE Onshore Wind and Advisory Board Member for Airloom Energy, added: “Breaking ground on a first pilot site is a major inflection point for any wind technology product – Airloom has reached this point with remarkable speed and clarity of purpose. What sets Airloom apart is not only its innovative architecture, but the calibre of the team behind it who understand how to move from concept to scale with tenacity and rigour. This pilot is more than a test site; it’s the beginning of a fundamentally new approach to resilient renewable energy generation – wind energy that’s faster to deploy, land-efficient, and built for the energy challenges ahead.”

The ground breaking keeps Airloom on track to complete its pilot site build out ahead of commercial demonstrations beginning in 2027. At this site, Airloom will be installing and testing its proprietary turbine designs to validate its power curve, ensure efficiency of production, refine cost of deployment, and expand maintenance documentation. Beyond standard onshore integration, Airloom Energy will also evaluate future use cases such as defence, disaster relief, and offshore wind energy generation.

In October 2024, Airloom Energy raised US$7.5 million in a seed financing round with participation Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Lowercarbon Capital, WYVC, Crosscut Ventures, WovenEarth Ventures, and others. An additional US$5 million in energy matching funds was secured in September 2024 from the State of Wyoming, and a US$1.25-million non-dilutive contract from the U.S. Department of Defense in August 2024.

For more news and technical articles from the global renewable industry, read the latest issue of Energy Global magazine.

Energy Global's Summer 2025 issue

Dive into the latest renewable energy insights in the Summer issue of Energy Global, out now! This edition features a guest comment from Change Rebellion on the role real change management can play in the global energy sector before a regional report, which looks at energy trends and transformations across the Americas. Other key topics are also explored, including offshore support vessels, floating wind, weather analysis, and battery storage. Contributors include Ørsted, CRC Evans, Miros, Solcast, and more, so don’t miss out!

Read the article online at: https://www.energyglobal.com/wind/30062025/airloom-energy-takes-critical-step-towards-us-energy-security/