GE Renewable Energy, LM Wind Power and TNO are collaborating on the TIADE project (Turbine Improvements for Additional Energy) to develop technologies and design methods for the more efficient operation of next-generation wind turbine rotors and wind farms with large rotor wakes, and to demonstrate them in the field.
The companies say the TIADE project’s prototype wind turbine is now operational. This full-scale, 130-meter diameter turbine is being tested in Wieringermeer, The Netherlands. The turbine is powered by two-piece blades, which allows the outer 12 meters of the blades to be replaced with several innovative tips.
“Our revolutionary two-piece blade design has helped us drive down the levelized cost of energy,” says Ben Hendriks, chief engineer for turbine system integration at LM Wind Power. “Here, in this project, we are applying new technology to significantly increase speed and reduce cost associated with testing and validation.”
Various innovative blade add-ons, such as spoilers, serrations, vortex generators, “turbulators” and blade tip improvements will be validated using advanced measurement techniques. The results will accelerate the wide-scale application of rotors with higher annual energy production and, thus, a considerably lower cost of energy.
These solutions can be applied to newly manufactured wind turbines in the factory, but they can partly also be retrofitted to existing offshore wind farms. With both options available, implementation of the technologies in offshore wind farms will likely be available in 2023.
