Wind energy

The wind is also one of the sources for environmentally friendly energy at the ufaFabrik. On the roof of what used to be the “film bunker”, the treasure chamber of German film, a rotor with a diameter of 3 meters is installed, which can generate up to 700 kilowatt per…The electricity that is generated is used for the outdoor lighting for the recycling court and for the engine that rotates the compost tumblers. With the support of the European Social Fund (Europäisches Sozialfonds, ESF) and the German educational institution Berufsfortbildungswerks, several adolescents were provided with an opportunity to take part in the construction of the wind turbine and acquire their Realschulabschluss (a school leaving certificate) through an extensive internship.

A renewed and improved wind turbine was developed in collaboration with the "Arbeitskreis Schlitzrotor in der ufaFabrik" (“ufaFabrik workgroup for the slotted rotor”). This project was supported by the Technische Universität Berlin by providing computer simulations and the Collage for Construction and Wood Technology (Oberstufenzentrum für Bau- und Holztechnik) by performing tests on the wind turbine’s wind tunnels for the optimization of the rotor. In a 30 cm wind tunnel, smaller rotors can generate up to 20% more energy than regular rotors.

Achmed Khammas, the patent holder for the slotted rotor, installed the prototype with a diameter of 2,4 meters at the ufaFabrik, together with Dietmar Hanfland. The generated energy is measured to confirm the improvements this 2,4 meter diameter slotted rotor presents.