Extending wind blades to maximize power production

Enel Green Power (EGP) is a global leader company in the development and management of energy production from renewable sources, with a total installed capacity of 52 GW based on an integrated portfolio composed of wind, solar, hydroelectric and geothermal technologies. Wind turbines generate clean energy by harnessing wind power, and EGP desires a retrofit solution to extend turbine blades within existing wind farms to maximize power production.

Abstract

OVERVIEW

Among the renewables, wind energy is growing more and more popular worldwide. The wind energy market has experienced an exponential growth in the last few decades, with thousands of wind turbines having been installed every year globally. Predictions indicate that the trend will go on for many more years, keeping wind energy at the forefront of renewable energy generation worldwide and helping the world to have safe, reliable, sustainable and cheap energy.

In this scenario, the research for way to make wind turbines (WT) more efficient and competitive becomes paramount. Enel Green Power is looking for innovative and technical solutions to increase the length of wind turbine blades, with a consequent increase in Annual Energy Production.

Description

SCENARIO

The wind energy market has experienced an exponential growth in the last few decades, with thousands of wind turbines having been installed every year worldwide. Predictions indicate that the trend will go on for many more years, keeping wind energy at the forefront of renewable energy generate on worldwide and helping the world to have safe, reliable, sustainable and cheap energy.

 

BACKGROUND

Wind turbines generators are designed to withstand a class-specific loads. Under certain circumstances, there is a margin between the site-specific loads, where the wind turbine is installed, and the designed class loads. This gap allows the possibility to increase the wind turbine production, staying inside the certification loads. One of the techniques to increase the Annual Energy Production (AEP) of a wind turbine is to increase the rotor diameter (re-blading) to harvest more energy. This strategy, while useful to increase AEP of wind farms, is made by replacing the existing blades with longer ones. The re-blading solution has some drawbacks that include the cost, the management of the old blades to be dismantled, the huge amount of civil works needed, and last but not least, the increase in tons of composite materials to be used. During the last few years, Enel Green Power has been active in analyzing different options for wind blade extension.

 

THE CHALLENGE

Enel Green Power is looking for a partner that could apply a solution for the extension of the length of the installed blades, by attaching a longer piece of blade to the actual tip, or other types of solutions that could help increase the rotor diameter and consequently the AEP.

 

SOLUTION REQUIREMENTS

Submissions should address the following Solution Requirements:

• Tip extender bonded/connected to the original blade, without replacing it;
• Extension ≥ 1 meter;
• Technology readiness level (TRL) ≥ 6;
• Ready to be installed in 6 months;
• Cost ≤ 200k€ per wind turbine;
• Wind turbine generator (WTG) capacity ≥ 600 kW.

Moreover, the solution should:

• Be applicable worldwide, where EGP is present (https://www.enelgreenpower.com/countries);
• Be characterized by an installation time lower than 1 week/WTG;
• Provide the installation of the tip extender without dismounting the blades;
• Have a statement of conformity released by a certification body (like DNV, UL, SGS, etc.);
• Be already patented.

 

PROJECT DELIVERABLES

The submitted proposal should contain two parts:

1. Collaboration Proposal including:

a. Detailed description of the proposed solution, including (but not limited to):

• Adopted method and/or technique for blade tip extension, with indication of installation duration;
• Advantages and weaknesses of the proposed solution;
• Details on the materials used in the process, with evidence of circular and/or sustainable solutions;
• Projected maintenance costs, if any;
• Mechanical load analysis of the wind turbine where blade tip extension is installed;
• List of the WTG controller modifications, if any;
• List of WTG models to which the solution can be applied;
• Economic analysis with cost indications for the supply of the solution and evidence of the calculation of Annual Energy Production increase;

b. Evidence of experience of wind blades tip extension, if any, including prototypes, etc.;

c. Data, case studies, patent and journal references or any additional material that supports the proposed solution.

 

2. General Information about the Solver including:

a. The key contact person for this Challenge (including phone number and email address).

b. Organization/Company/University name and address (including website, if available).

 

(NOTE: For most Challenges, Solvers are not allowed to include personal contact information; however, for an eRFP Challenge, it is required.)

[NOTE: Only proposals from Solvers who have the ability to work as a collaboration partner will be considered.]

 

SDGs

This challenge provides contribution to the following sustainable development goals (SDGs) to transform our world:

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy;
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure.

Challenge rules

All proposers are invited to read carefully the Challenge and the Regulation of this Challenge, attached below in the Regulation section, before submitting a solution.

By submitting a solution, they automatically accept the attached Regulations other than the Terms of Use of this platform.

 

ELIGIBILITY

Except for the people involved in the organization and management of the OPEN INNOVABILITY® CHALLENGE and their spouses or partners and their relatives up to the fourth degree calculated according to Italian law, the proposals could be submitted by all the employees working in the legal entities pertaining to the perimeter of Enel Green Power & Thermal Generation worldwide.

Without prejudice to the article 5.5 of the Terms of Use, the obligation to grant the IP rights set in this article does not apply if the winning solution is proposed by an employee of an Enel company, unless the employee is the owner of the solution according to the relevant national law.

Explain your proposal clearly in English, attach documents (max 5 files, 25MB total size) if needed.

The proposals will be admitted until July 06, 2022 and the evaluation will start after this date.

 

CHALLENGE, AWARD, IP RIGHTS

This is an electronic Request-for-Partners (eRFP) Challenge; the Solver will need to submit a written proposal to be evaluated by the Seeker with a goal of establishing a possible collaboration.

Source / contact: Extending turbine blades to maximize power production | Open Innovability (enel.com)