Applications throughout the World - Hybrid Anisotropic Materials for Wind Power Turbine Blades - page 2

This.trend.poses.challenges.in.scaling.up.blade.and.rotor.manufacturing.pro-
duction.capacity..For.example,.the.use.of.larger.blades.requires.lighter-weight.
materials.to.increase.eficiency.and.performance.and.decrease.weight,.which,.in.
turn,.reduces.load-carrying.requirements.for.towers.and.other.structural.com-
ponents..However,.tower.designs.may.be.dictated.by.aerodynamic.loads.at.the.
greater.heights.and.sweep.areas..Lightweight.materials,.such.as.iberglass.and.
carbon.iber,.are.in.high.demand.globally,.not.only.for.wind.energy.develop-
ment,.but.for.a.variety.of.other.products.and.components..While.there.is.a.high.
likelihood.that.businesses.will.make.the.necessary.investments.to.expand.pro-
duction.of.these.and.other.materials.and.components.for.wind.energy,.a.robust.
supply.chain.would.be.critical.for.the.20.percent.wind.scenario.to.be.achieved. 2

1.2.1 Key Blade and Rotor Manufacturing Challenges
Improving.quality.with.increasing.blade.lengths,.design.complexity,.and.use.
of.lighter-weight.advanced.materials.present.such.challenges.as:

•. Lack. of. adequate. testing. facilities. for. perfecting. advanced. blade.
designs.to.improve.eficiency,.performance,.and.manufacturability,.
while.reducing.weight.and.cost
•. Lack. of. adequate. analysis. tools. for. integrating. design. and.

manufacturing
•. Cost.and.availability.of.raw.materials.for.advanced.blade.designs
•. Addressing. workforce. shortages. that. affect. all. aspects. of. wind.
energy.design,.development,.manufacturing,.and.deployment
•. Addressing. the. high. costs. and. logistical. problems. of. transporting.
blades.to.construction.sites.for.assembly

One. of. the. technical. challenges. in. mass-producing. larger. blades. with.
more.complex.designs.and.lighter-weight.advanced.materials.is.quality.con-
trol..Faults.and.defects.add.to.overall.costs,.can.detract.substantially.from.
wind.turbine.performance.and.eficiency,.and.can.lead.to.later.problems.in.
the. ield. with. operation,. maintenance,. and. blade. life.. The. need. for. better.
blade.quality.creates.added.burdens.in.ramping.up.manufacturing.capacity.
for.some.of.the.supply.chain.industries,.such.as.forging,.casting,.iberglass,.
carbon. iber,. and. bearings.. In. addition,. existing. production. processes. are.
also.highly.labor.intensive,.which.adds.to.costs.and.increases.the.dificulties.
in.achieving.high.levels.of.manufacturing.precision.and.process.control.

1.3 HowWindTurbinesWork

A.wind.turbine.will.delect.the.wind,.even.before.the.wind.reaches.the.rotor.
plane..This.means.that.we.will.never.be.able.to.capture.all.of.the.energy.in.