Record blade pushes the limits to bring down the Cost of Energy of offshore wind.
LM Wind Power and Alstom have entered a strategic partnership to develop the longest wind turbine blade ever produced, designed to fit Alstom’s new 6 MW wind turbine for the growing European offshore wind market.
This means that LM Wind Power, for the third time in a row, pushes the limits for the size of wind turbine blades and further improves the cost efficiency of wind power, not least for offshore wind farms.
This groundbreaking blade requires more than 20,000 hours of work by LM Wind Power’s specialist teams which focus especially on aerodynamics, structural design and production processes of this giant. The best in class design is specifically tailored for Alstom’s new 6 MW wind turbine and based on LM Wind Power proprietary profile, developed in its wind tunnel in Denmark. The blade uses advanced materials enabling LM Wind Power to design and manufacture relatively lighter glass fiber and polyester blades for the length.
The prototype blades will be produced in the company’s Danish factory in Lunderskov, currently producing also the LM 61.5P2, and will be ready for installation at Alstom prototype sites in Europe over the winter 2011/12. Future production depends on the end markets that Alstom wishes to address, most likely France, UK and other North Sea markets.
“We are proud to partner with Alstom on this important project. I am sure that Alstom’s turbines flying the world’s longest wind turbine blades from LM Wind Power will set a new standard for cost of energy with an advantage over current offshore turbines,” says Roland Sundén, Chief Executive Officer, LM Wind Power Group. “This new blade builds on the innovative features developed for our recent blade launch, the GloBlade® which has proved to be tremendously successful, offering an additional annual energy production of 4-5 percent compared to standard blades”.
Source: LM Wind Power
