UpWind is a project of the European Union regarding wind energy technology. The goal of the project is to determine the best technologies and methods of implementing large wind turbine usage. Turbines the project is mostly interested in are those in the eight to ten megawatt range, however, much larger models are believed to be feasible.
According to the report by UpWind recently presented at the European Wind Energy Association annual meeting, wind turbines up to twenty megawatts have potential. UpWind found that these massive turbines would likely be cost effective if new technology is developed to implement them. The turbines, in large part due to their immense size, would be intended for offshore wind farms.
Current large models of turbines, five megawatt units, have rotor diameters of approximately 120 meters. However, the massive twenty megawatt turbines would likely be in the 200 meter range. The mere size of the turbines would require improved wind energy technology to make the turbines cost-effective and overall productive.
Included in the needs for twenty megawatt turbines to come into use would be numerous changes to the blades. The amount of fatigue on the blades would need to be lowered, such as by using more flexible materials, splitting blades into two sections and having the blades individually controlled.
UpWind also recommended that new innovations for having turbines adjust to wind conditions would lessen pressure on turbines in general and make them more productive. UpWind also pushed for evaluating wind farm layouts and general maintenance concerns.
The twenty megawatt turbines, according to UpWind, could be in use by the year 2020. However, cost-effectiveness is likely to be a determining factor for the massive turbines.
