LM Wind Power, in collaboration with Alstom want to develop the world’s longest wind turbine blades. The new blades will be designed to fit Alstom’s 6MW wind turbine.
The first prototype made out of polyester and glass fiber will be created in the company’s Danish factory in Lunderskov. According to company officials, Alstom prototype sites from Europe will have such blades by the end of 2012.
The length of the new blade has not been specified, but will be longer than LM’s longest blade, the 61.5m/202-ft 61.5P2, which is manufactured at the company’s Lunderskov, Denmark, factory.
“This new blade builds on the innovative features developed for our recent design, offering an additional annual energy production of four to five per cent compared to standard blades,” said Roland Sundén, CEO of LM Wind Power.
Being one of the world’s largest supplier of blades, brakes and services to the wind industry, LM Wind Power has created about 130,300 blades over a time of 30 years.
Alstom is a global leader in power transmission, power generation and infrastructure (including nuclear, hydro, coal, gas and wind power), having sales of over €23 bln in 2010. Recently the company started collaborating with Brookfield Renewable Power to produce plant equipment to two hydro-power facilities in Brazil.
I’m pretty sure UTC/Clipper Windpower is developing hte longest blade for their 10MW Britannia project with a 150m rotor diameter. The blades themselves are reported to be at 72.5 meters long. That’s bigger than LM and Alstom.