Pioneering technology for wind turbine blades
New technology with new fibers defines a revolution in Danish wind power innovation.
BLADE KING: It is expected that wind energy will account for 10-15 of global consumption of electricity by 2030. (Photo: LM Glasfiber)
A huge investment by the Danish National Advanced Technology Foundation will make the development of a new generation of turbine blades possible. Partners in the project are LM Glasfiber A/S, Aalborg Universitet, RISØ-DTU and Comfil Aps. Over the next five years, the four companies and institutions will work together to develop the new technology and make it ready for production. The first blades manufactured with the new technology are expected to reach the market by 2015, at the latest.
Increased efficiency
Thanks to high levels of automation, the new blade technology, 'Blade King', will significantly increase the efficiency of the processes of laying up the fiber material in the mould and finally moulding the actual wind turbine blade. The ultimate goal is to cut the total production time in half.
Blade King
The development of an innovative blade technology will be based on the use of completely novel types of fiber. Representatives from the Danish National Advanced Technology Foundation says that investing in a new production platform will contribute to ensuring that Denmark continues to play a significant role in setting the agenda for wind energy, an area where Denmark is currently the world's leading nation.
Optimizing and improving
It is expected that wind energy will account for 10-15 of global consumption of electricity by 2030. There is still considerable potential for optimizing and improving existing technology platforms. Vice President of Research and Development at LM Glasfiber, Mr Frank V. Nielsen says that in order to sustain the ability to meet the market demands for an extended future, the industry needs a quantum leap in materials and production technology. The aim is for Blade King to help achieve that.
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A huge investment by the Danish National Advanced Technology Foundation will make the development of a new generation of turbine blades possible. Partners in the project are LM Glasfiber A/S, Aalborg Universitet, RISØ-DTU and Comfil Aps.
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