MicroGrid Connectivity | Ever heard of VART?

I want to coin a term. The rationale is simple. The concept is memorable. When we discuss wind power, we have two basic constructions. The giant pinwheel: HAWT (horizontal axis wind turbine) and the small VART (Vertical access rotating turbine). A small VART is officially called a VAWT (Vertical axis Wind Turbine) but that, phonetically, is not so memorable for a wind machine.

So, for the duration of this piece, we will use VART to address the core idea. They’re compact, low-profile, and visually/structurally urban compatible. Because they spin vertically and sit lower, maintenance can happen at ground level, without a cherry picker and a prayer. Reduced height means less pushback from planners, neighbors, or heritage councils. Unlike traditional HAWTs (Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines), VARTs don’t need to face the wind.

While I could go on for days about the benefits of a good VART™, the interesting part for us (as an IoT company), is integrating these little blowhards into microgrid installations. When the sun is down (usually during bad weather and at night time) this guy is just beginning to get a second wind, so there is a lovely symmetrical set of use cases.

I like the idea of adding a whistle to a VART once it reaches a certain tempo and an IoT controlled braking system for top-end wind speeds. The option of using the centrifugal wind tunnel inside the VART to funnel air in or out to other structures also has a lot of untapped utility.

A microgrid is a locally self-sufficient energy system, with a generation source (solar, wind, hydro or biogas), energy storage (batteries), inverters and controllers (where the IoT comes in) and possibly a backup source (diesel gen, grid-tie, or fuel cell).

What VART/VAWTs Offer to Microgrids? Night time and off-season generation (complements solar) Good low-wind startup for areas with chaotic gusts. Can be mounted on buildings or poles without major zoning issues Ideal for hybrid setups in places where solar drops off in winter They’re not usually the primary power source—but in the right site, they’re an elegant resilience layer.

VART/VAWT Pricing – Ballpark

🏠 Home / Small Scale

🏭 Commercial / Industrial

💡 Important: Actual prices depend heavily on mounting, logistics, local wind conditions, and balance-of-system components (inverter compatibility, battery scale, etc.)