UpWind

UpWind is Europe’s largest European R&D wind energy project. It is a five year project that aims to develop and verify substantially improved models of the principal wind turbine components, which the industry needs for the design and  manufacture of wind turbines for very large-scale future applications, e.g. offshore wind farms of several hundred MW. The wind turbines needed will be very large (>8-10 MW) and the rotor diameter will be over 120m. Present design methods and the available components and materials do not allow such  up-scaling. 

Running time: 01 March 2006 –28 February 2011

In order to achieve the necessary up-scaling before 2020, full understanding of external design conditions, innovative materials with a sufficient strength to mass ratio, and advanced control and measuring systems are essential.

In order to achieve this up-scaling in the most efficient way, the following critical areas are being addressed in this integrated project:

  • metrology
  • transmission and conversion
  • smart rotor blades and rotor control
  • aerodynamics and aeroelastics
  • foundations and support structures
  • control systems
  • remote sensing

To read the full report on the completed project, see Design limits and solutions for very large wind turbines

Project partners:

The project includes 40 partners from the manufacturing industries, service providers, universities, R&D establishments and professional organisations who are working on 15 integration and research work packages.

Project website:

www.upwind.eu

Supported by:



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