Blade Dynamics Announce New Wind Blade Project

Costs associated with repairing the blades are extremely high and time-consuming, it also causes operating losses and a detrimental effect of the cost of the energy being generated.

Blade Dynamics have created a new Advanced Blade Tip which the company say, improves the critical outer third of the wind turbine blade. This high performance tip is designed to integrate into standard wind turbine blades, creating a ’hybrid blade’ that upgrades performance whilst using existing manufacturing infrastructure. It features built-in erosion protection, has a high aerodynamic profile to enhance energy generation, is lightweight to reduce turbine loads and to allow blades to be extended in length and has an innovative lightning protection system. Blade Dynamics say the Advanced Blade Tip both enhances the performance of offshore wind turbines, increasing Annual Energy Production (AEP), and reduces costs incurred through expensive downtime due to blade deterioration and the current need for frequent maintenance.

The project will refine, demonstrate and test the manufacturing technologies used in the tip solution as well as optimise the design of the interface between the tip and the rest of the blade.

Theo Botha, Blade Dynamics co-founder said:

This is an exciting new technology development that can substantially reduce the long-term cost of energy from offshore wind turbines and the company is proud and thankful to be supported by GROW:OffshoreWind in this work.

If this project is a success it will provide a route for substantial financial benefits to both the purchasers of wind turbines and manufacturers, through increased blade life and significantly reduced maintenance costs, as well as a reduction in the cost of energy from offshore wind farms.