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Wind of change

Wind of change

Our X-LOCK grinders are bringing wind power closer to home, one rooftop at a time – powered by Bosch Professional.

Building the future

As the world increasingly looks towards renewable energy, Mowea GmbH, a Berlin startup, has invented an unusual way to bring wind power closer to home. Light, futuristic, stainless steel frames stand tall on city rooftops, harnessing enough wind power off-the-grid to help clients lower electricity costs. But it's not the only revolution going on. To help the team build wind turbines faster and safer, we sent them X-LOCK angle grinders and accessories – and they were blown away.

Building in high, windy places is tough work, but it's easier with Bosch Professional.

ROOFTOP REVOLUTION

BERLIN – Something unusual is happening on the rooftops of Berlin. Tall, slim, futuristic structures stand out against the sky like modern art pieces, silently producing energy. These wind turbines are the brainchild of startup Mowea GmbH, who has found a way to bring wind power to individual clients in the city. "Wind power doesn't have to be massive, but it has to be efficient," says Mowea managing director Till Naumann. "Our design lets us generate electricity wherever we want." For companies who want to regain control of their electricity costs and have a rooftop to spare, it's a revolution.


High places

As Mowea's systems are modular, no one turbine ever looks the same. “Our turbines make use of existing infrastructure," explains Naumann. "They can be installed on flat roofs, open spaces, chimneys.” But the team has gone to even higher places. In 2019, they partnered up with Vodafone to build the first 'Eco-Tower' in Germany: A 50m-tall LTE and 5G mobile tower self-powered by wind turbines. "Mobile towers and wind turbines have something in common," said a Vodafone representative. "Both need high places to work effectively." And unlike solar power, wind power doesn't stop when the sun sets. Naumann, who holds a doctorate in mechanical engineering, smiles: "This pays off for everyone."


Lukas Jobb, Electrical Engineer, Mowea GmbH
Most rooftops have no electricity. Thanks to Bosch Professional cordless tools with a diverse range of applications, we can install and maintain wind turbines faster and easier.

Lukas Jobb, Electrical Engineer, Mowea GmbH

Faster, lighter

Electrical engineer Lukas Jobb has seen hundreds of rooftops and knows which challenges to expect. “Most have no electricity," says Jobb, gesturing around the roof we're standing on. "It's important for us to use cordless power tools with long battery runtimes." And because it's high up and windy, Jobb says: The less tools, the better. "By using flexible, cordless tools with a diverse range of applications, we can work faster and lighter.” Jobb really likes two of our all-rounders: The GDX 18V-200 C Professional, which is both an impact driver and impact wrench, and the GWX 18V-10 SC Professional angle grinder, which comes with the easiest accessory changing system in the industry – X-LOCK.


Mind blown

The X-LOCK angle grinder has been a revelation for the team. “Finally, with the X-LOCK System, we no longer need extra tools to change accessories," says Jobb, who 'clicks' a disc into his grinder in a movement that only takes one second. To remove the disc, he lifts a lever and out pops the disc. The whole operation takes a fraction of a minute. He's blown away: "No more adjusting nut, no flange, no wrench!" Thanks to the patented X-mount, the disc is safely and securely fastened without extra adjustments. On these tall, windy rooftops, where they cannot afford to drop a tool or lose a nut to the wind, the simplification is invaluable.


Lukas Jobb, Electrical Engineer, Mowea GmbH
Finally, a way to change grinder accessories without extra tools. No more adjusting nut, no flange, no wrench. With X-LOCK, we just "click" a new disc in and start working right away.

Lukas Jobb, Electrical Engineer, Mowea GmbH

Safer, smarter

Another game-changer for the team has been the in-built safety features. The GWX 18V-200 C Professional angle grinder delivers up to 1000W of equivalent corded power with just one ProCORE18V battery. This makes it very powerful – and a potential risk for injury. But thanks to Drop Control, the grinder's motor switches off upon fall impact. X-Brake shortens braking time by 70%, so that sharp discs don't keep spinning when the grinder is no longer in operation. And KickBack Control prevents the grinder from spinning out of control when it snags on something in the material. These features help the Mowea team work with total peace of mind.


More flexible than ever

"Design thinking" is key, explains Naumann, who designed the turbines to be easily adapatable to user requirements. So it's no surprise that both Naumann and Jobb are fans of the X-LOCK system for its flexibility: Bosch Professional alone has over 150 X-LOCK accessories, while nearly 45 other manufacturers offer even more options. "I'm not tied to a single brand. I can even use the discs on non-X-LOCK grinders," says Jobb. The team mainly uses the grinder to cut, grind, and sand materials such as metal, concrete, and stone, but they can also 'click' on a metal brush-head to polish and clean. "It couldn't be more flexible than this."


Lukas Jobb, Electrical Engineer, Mowea GmbH
As a startup, we need to be able to react quickly to changes. With the X-LOCK grinder, I can cut steel, high-quality steel, cast iron, copper... simply everything.

Lukas Jobb, Electrical Engineer, Mowea GmbH

Ready for change

Above our heads, three newly erected turbines are turning in the wind. They're silent, but energy is already building. “With our wind turbines, we're capturing the Zeitgeist of this generation," says Neumann. As Mowea ushers in the winds of change, one rooftop at a time, they're also excited to see new shifts within the power tool industry toward more simplification, more flexibility, and more intelligent protection. According to Neumann, it's the right time for innovation: "People know that change is here, and that we need to start thinking differently."


Till Naumann, Managing Director, Mowea GmbH
With our wind turbines, we're capturing the Zeitgeist of this generation. People know that change is here, and that we have to start thinking differently.

Till Naumann, Managing Director, Mowea GmbH

WATCH THIS STORY IN ACTION:

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