Category: News

Last week we hosted the CORTIR III International Blade Conference in Copenhagen. The event brought together leading experts from across the wind energy industry to share insights, discuss innovations, and strengthen collaboration on the future of wind turbine blades.

The conference is part of the CORTIR III project, which is funded by Denmark’s EUDP program. The project’s main goal is to improve blade reliability, extend operational lifetimes, and reduce operational expenditure, helping the industry optimise annual energy production and lower the Levelized Cost of Energy. By focusing on risk-based maintenance strategies and advanced monitoring techniques, CORTIR III aims to set new standards for wind turbine blade performance.

Key takeaways from the conference included:

• Field measurement campaigns on 7MW turbines provided new calibration data to improve blade modelling accuracy
• Blade Optical Deformation Monitoring revealed structural behaviours that can inform inspection and maintenance strategies
• Large-scale testing of torsional fatigue loads highlighted solutions for critical phenomena without compromising structural integrity
• FEM simulations of the Lattice Bar reinforcement solution showed how CSSD and out-of-plane panel deformation can be prevented, supporting future blade reliability and integration with condition monitoring systems
• Panels on standardisation, risk-based maintenance and state-of-the-art inspection techniques offered practical guidance for extending blade lifetime and optimising operational performance

We would like to thank all our panellists who contributed their expertise, including representatives from Nordex Group, Blaest A/S, ORE Catapult, ENGIE, Shanghai Electric Wind Power Group, DNV, Sulzer Schmid, Aalborg University, ScottishPower, Enel Green Power, and RES.

The insights shared at CORTIR III will guide the next phase of the project and support the industry in delivering more reliable blades and more efficient wind farms.

Now part of the RES family, we continue to combine our deep blade expertise with RES’ global network to deliver complete blade care solutions that optimise performance, increase energy production and extend asset lifespans.

The Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult has signed an agreement with wind engineering specialist Bladena – a RES company – to test blade reinforcement technology designed to extend the operational life of offshore wind turbines.

With many of the first fleet of operational offshore wind turbines approaching the end of their planned lifespans, there is a need to accelerate the development of new technology which could potentially help extend the life of turbine blades.

The full-scale testing programme at ORE Catapult’s National Renewable Energy Centre in Blyth will use an 88-metre blade to carry out unique full-scale torsional load tests – the first of its kind conducted by ORE Catapult and understood to be an industry first. It will be used to show how Bladena’s reinforcement technology performs under the twisting forces it could experience out at sea.

ORE Catapult will be developing a bespoke test methodology for this programme, with the aim of better understanding how the new reinforcement technology developed by Bladena impacts how the blade responds. Findings could potentially guide industry-wide efforts to improve turbine reliability and reduce lifecycle costs.

Matthew Hadden, Chief Blade Engineer at ORE Catapult, said: “We’re excited to be carrying out this testing with colleagues from Bladena, to examine how we can aid learning of how to better monitor turbine blades as they age through their operational life, with the hope of being able to inform the development of technological solutions across the sector.”

Bladena, part of RES, the world’s largest independent renewable company, is a specialist in wind turbine-blade engineering and lifecycle solutions.

Find Mølholt Jensen, CTO and Founder of Bladena, said: “Testing our technology at ORE Catapult’s world-class facility is a significant milestone in extending turbine lifespans. Stronger blades mean lower costs and more power, and by improving how they withstand stress over time, we can ensure more reliable performance in offshore environments.”

This project builds on years of research by Bladena and partners, including the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and the Danish Energy Technology Development and Demonstration Programme (EUDP). Their work revealed how even minor torsional loads can accelerate fatigue in composite materials and adhesive joints.

Testing begins January 2026, with preparations already underway.

Further details on Bladena’s technology will be shared early next year.

ENDS

Notes to Editor

About the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult

ORE Catapult is the UK’s leading innovation centre for offshore renewable energy, established in 2013 by the UK Government as part of a network of Catapults set up by Innovate UK in high growth industries.

Independent and trusted, with a unique combination of world-leading test and demonstration facilities, engineering and research expertise, ORE Catapult convenes the sector, delivering applied research, accelerating technology development, reducing risk and cost and enhancing UK-wide economic growth.

ORE Catapult operates in Glasgow, Blyth, Levenmouth, Aberdeen, the Humber, the East of England, the South West and Wales.

About Bladena
Bladena, part of RES – the world’s largest independent renewable company, is a specialist in wind turbine-blade engineering and lifecycle solutions. Founded in Denmark in 2011, Bladena serves blade owners, asset managers and operators globally with advisory services, root-cause investigations and proprietary structural technologies (including D-String®, D-TE™, X-Stiffener™ and RTZ Solution™) to address and prevent issues such as cracking, delamination and shear-web failures.

Bladena’s mission is to act as the blade-knowledge centre for the wind industry, combining structural intelligence, field data and engineering innovation to extend blade life, reduce O&M risk and maximise asset value.

bladena.com

For more information contact:

Rory Brown, RES (Bladena) +44 7436 144 750 [email protected]

London, 29 November 2024 – RES, the world’s largest independent renewables company, has acquired Danish wind turbine blade engineering specialist, Bladena, further strengthening its suite of advanced digital solutions.

Established in Denmark in 2011, Bladena provides engineering expertise to minimise the risk of blade failures for wind farm owners through the entire lifetime of a wind turbine blade. These include proprietary technologies including D-String®, D-TE™, X-Stiffener™, and The RTZ Solution™ that can identify, assess and address blade issues and extend asset lifetimes.

Turbine blades account for approximately 27% of unplanned wind energy O&M costs, and with modern blades exceeding 60 metres in length and their numbers expected to triple over the next decade, addressing early lifecycle challenges is critical to extend turbine asset lifecycles and improve operational reliability. 

The acquisition follows closely behind RES’ recent integration with Swiss drone inspection company, Sulzer Schmid, and further strengthens its digital solutions and services businesses.  

Eduardo Medina, CEO RES, said: “As we continue to grow, we remain committed to bringing in technologies that provide value to our customers around the world. Acquiring Bladena is a significant step forward for RES as we scale and equip our business to meet growing market demand for digital services and blade maintenance. I look forward to welcoming our new colleagues as we continue our mission to deliver affordable zero carbon energy to communities around the world.”

Arun Narayanan, Digital Solutions CEO, RES added: “Through Bladena we will add industry leading blade technology and engineering expertise to our existing range of solutions such as AnemoLive, AeroUp and TuneUp, which have been shown to drive increased annual energy production. Our customers will now be able to better manage blades and improve turbine reliability, helping reduce costs, enhance revenue, and maximise the value of their investments.”

RES currently supports 41GW of operational assets globally, and over its 40+ year history has developed and/or constructed over 26GW of renewable assets – enough to power 25 million homes for a year.  Through the recent acquisitions of Ingeteam and Sulzer Schmid, RES has an enhanced digital solutions and services offering that will serve current and future customers. The company has a development pipeline of 22GW across a range of renewable technologies, due to come to market within the next five years.

ENDS

About RES

RES is the world’s largest independent renewable energy company, working across 24 countries and active in wind, solar, energy storage, green hydrogen, transmission, and distribution. An industry innovator for over 40 years, RES has delivered more than 26 GW of renewable energy projects across the globe and plans to bring more than 22 GW of new capacity online in the next five years.

As a service provider, RES has the skills and experience in asset management, operations and maintenance (O&M), and spare parts – supporting 41GW of renewable assets across 1,300 sites.  RES brings to the market a range of purposeful, practical technology-based products and digital solutions designed to maximize investment and deployment of renewable energy.

RES is the power behind a clean energy future where everyone has access to affordable zero carbon energy bringing together global experience, passion, and the innovation of its 4,500 people to transform the way energy is generated, stored and supplied. Visit: www.res-group.com

Media contacts

RES
Rachel Anderson
[email protected]

Rory Brown

[email protected]