Wind Energy News

For some years, the Wind Energy Division at Risø DTU in Denmark has been working to develop a method for controlling the loads on large wind turbine blades using a flexible trailing edge made of an elastic material which can be controlled by means of compressed air or hydraulics. Now, the invention, which has been called CRTEF (Controllable Rubber Trailing Edge Flap), has been tested in a wind tunnel with promising results.

Olympic skeleton athletes will hit the ice next month in Vancouver, where one-hundredths of a second can dictate the difference between victory and defeat. Using state-of-the-art flow measurements, engineers are employing science and technology to help the US skeleton team trim track times and gain an edge over other sliders.

Two years ago, Risø DTU had the opportunity to set up measurement masts on the small peninsula of Bolund at Roskilde Fjord. Within a few months unique data on wind flow in complex terrain was collected. The data can be used to check the different wind calculation programs around the world.

NIST has released its final report on the May 2, 2009, collapse during a severe thunderstorm of the fabric-covered, steel frame practice facility owned by the National Football League's Dallas Cowboys.

Smart embedded sensor systems will allow operators of offshore wind farms to check ‘the health’ of the wind turbines, while the operator is sitting in a warm and dry place on land and while the turbine blades are spinning merrily, far away at sea.

Researchers in Denmark have recently completed the world's first successful test on a wind turbine with a laser-based anemometer built into the spinner in order to increase electricity generation. The results show that this system can predict wind direction, gusts of wind and turbulence.