The new blade is being designed specifically for Alstom’s next generation 6-megawatt (MW) offshore wind turbine. The prototype blades will be produced in LM Wind Power’s Danish factory in Lunderskov and will be ready for installation at Alstom prototype sites in Europe to start testing during the winter of 2011.
In announcing the deal, Alfonso Faubel, Alstom Power’s Wind business vice president, said LM Wind Power’s quality technology perfectly complements his firm’s innovative wind turbine development capability.
“We have a partner of undoubted pedigree, a proven track record on offshore blade development and the global manufacturing presence and development resources to support our offshore growth plans,” Faubel said. “The close collaboration of both companies in offshore wind will deliver best in class technology to help bring down the COE, and a highly competitive market offering that will help us become a leader in the global offshore wind energy market.”
According to both companies, the development of the blade will require more than 20,000 hours of work by LM Wind Power’s specialist teams focusing especially on aerodynamics, structural design, and production processes of this giant.
The use of specifically developed material compounds will enable LM Wind Power to maximise strength and durability while producing an exceptionally light blade.
Furthermore, it will feature a structural design specifically tailored for Alstom’s turbine, as well as LM Wind Power’s proprietary aerodynamic profiles based on its latest GloBlade®, which offers an additional 4-5 percent of annual energy production compared to standard designs. The geometry of the new blade has already been validated in LM Wind Power’s own wind tunnel – the world’s only wind tunnel customized for aerodynamic testing of wind turbine blades.
“I am confident that Alstom’s innovative turbines flying the world’s longest blades from LM Wind Power will give them a clear COE advantage, and we are very pleased to extend our excellent working relations with Alstom into this prestigious project,” said Roland Sundén, CEO LM Wind Power Group. ““The key to success in offshore, given that you have a quality wind turbine, is strength of balance sheet, project management skills and power engineering experience. LM Wind Power recognizes Alstom’s clear advantages in this respect compared to many others in offshore.”
LM Wind Power is considered a pioneer in offshore wind. Its first blades installed offshore have been operating since 1991 at the world’s first offshore wind farm, Vindeby, Denmark.
Since 2004, LM Wind Power has supplied its 61.5-meter long blades for offshore. One example is the Beatrice Wind Farm Demonstrator project 25 kilometres off the coast of Scotland. The blades are currently the world’s longest in serial production and have been installed in offshore wind farms across Europe, where they achieve very high availability.
Alstom’s 6 MW turbine has been optimised for the UK’s Crown Estate Round 3 and other North Sea markets. Two prototypes will be installed in 2011 and 2012, a pre-series in 2013 (the final rollout step before full commercialisation), and series production in 2014.
In January Alstom and EDF Energies Nouvelles (EDF-EN) announced that, using this turbine, they would bid jointly for projects under the recently launched 3 GW French offshore wind tender.
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