North American Windpower: Knight & Carver Tests STAR Wind Turbine Blades For DOE

in News Departments > Products & Technologies

by NAW Staff on Thursday 09 November 2006

Knight & Carver's wind blade division, which constructs and repairs wind turbine blades from its San Diego Bay facility, has completed the first in a series of wind blades as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) project to advance wind energy production.

These STAR (sweep twist adaptive rotor) blades are unique because they have a gently curved tip that is designed to relieve pressure on the blade and turbine drivetrain in low-wind-speed regions, the company says. The blades are at 27.5 meters long by 2.4 meters wide.

"Depending on the wind farm's site, this blade will capture between 5 percent and 10 percent more energy," says Gary Kanaby, Knight & Carver's blade division manager.

According to Knight & Carver, the blade is scheduled for static-testing at its San Diego facility during the month of December - a second blade will be built before the end of the year. The company adds that this project is a cooperative effort among Sandia Laboratories, Albuquerque, N.M.; Dynamic Design, Davis, Calif.; MDZ Consulting, Clear Lake Shores, Texas; University of California at Davis; and NSE Composites, Seattle.

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