Cold climate and icy conditions place special demands on wind turbine technology. Nevertheless, wind energy at ice prone sites is a growing area in the industry and a number of innovative research projects are looking at innovative solutions for the future. Cost-reduction is the guiding force behind innovation, and some of the new ideas being researched will have to demonstrate excellent anti- / de-icing properties, as well as being cost-effective to integrate into manufacturing, and contributing to improved energy efficiency in terms of power generation. Wind Energy IQ has written an exclusive report on the topic of "Anti-ice Research for Wind Turbines in Cold Climates". Read more here: http://bit.ly/Anti-ice_Research_Article Visit our website here: http://bit.ly/Website_anti-icing

1. Anti-ice Research for Wind Turbines in Cold Climates
By Colin Pawsey
Wind energy in cold climates is a growing area in the industry, and research from
the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland has highlighted the need for capable
anti-icing and de-icing technologies to enable development in harsh conditions
where ice presents a real challenge to the economic viability of wind turbines in very
low temperatures.
VTT conducted the first every study into the feasibility of building wind turbines
across the globe in areas where cold climate and icy conditions place special
demands on wind turbine technology, in 2013. The study cited recent forecasts that
estimate between 45 and 50 GW of wind energy capacity will be installed in cold
climates by 2017; an increase of 72% since the end of 2012, amounting to up to 75
billion Euros in investment.
Challenges of Cold Climates
The areas that could benefit from harnessing wind power in cold climates include
Scandinavia and Canada, but also certain parts of Central Europe, America and
China. Colder climates represent great potential for wind power due to the sparse
population in these areas, and favourable wind conditions. Wind power is higher in
winter than in summer in these climates, and the density of cold air increases
production capacity. However, turbine blades are exposed to ice, and it can cause
production losses of 14-20% per year according to EU R&D project WINDHEAT.
Ice can manifest itself in various ways, and as well as reducing production, it can
cause a variety of other problems. Falling ice from turbine blades can be a hazard
for people and equipment in the vicinity of the turbine, while the weight of the ice
can significantly reduce the aerodynamic properties of the turbine. This can lead to
mechanical failures due to increased load, as well as damage to bearings and
gearboxes.
There are already a number of anti-icing and de-icing technologies on the market.
Some passive solutions use paint, chemical coatings or hydrophobic coatings to
prevent the build-up of ice; while active solutions include ‘shaking off’ the ice by

2. means of flexible blades or acceleration and deceleration of the blades, or thermal
solutions which heat the blades via microwaves, heating elements or hot air
circulation inside the blade.
At this stage data is still being gathered on the long-term effectiveness of these
technologies, and a number of innovative research projects are looking at
alternatives for the future.
Research Projects
Source: Fraunhofer IPA
WINDHEAT
The WINDHEAT project is a European R&D project, funded by the European
Commission within the 7th
Framework Programme. It runs from 2013 to 2015 and
the overall aim is to develop a cost-effective solution to icing on wind turbines.
The technical objectives of the project are:
 To develop and demonstrate a novel ice detection system for the real-time
detection of ice formation on wind turbine blades.
 To fabricate and demonstrate an ultra-efficient, spatially localized, de-icing
system utilizing a carbon nanotube composite appropriate for installation into
the turbine blade at the point of manufacture.
 To integrate the developed novel ice detection and de-icing systems into a
single, intelligent unit.