Vestas is exploring trends and needs in blade technology to further industrialize the wind industry. Some key areas of focus include: 1. Driving full exploitation of the learning curve to reduce costs and achieve grid parity prices while scaling turbines larger. 2. Developing next-generation turbine and blade architectures that are more modular, standardized, and have lower capital costs. 3. Advancing aerodynamic and aeroacoustic models and validation techniques to improve blade and system-level design optimization. 4. Maturing aero-servo-elastic design and loads management technologies, especially developing simpler yet robust actuation concepts. 5. Exploring alternative turbine architectures that use aggregation rather than

1. Trends & Changing
R&D Needs in Blade
Technology
Anurag Gupta, Ph.D.
Innovation Architect, Technology & Service Solutions
Vestas Wind Systems A/S
Aug 30, 2016
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2. An underlying theme: “INDUSTRIALIZATION”
• Mature, fact- and first-principles driven basis… elimination of uncertainties
• Commonality of standards/methods… accelerated collaboration, many foundational and pre-
competitive fields
• Driving full exploitation of the learning curve… can we brake the up-scaling freight train AND drive
LCOE to grid parity?
NB: Given expertise in rest of panel, I will not go into details on Materials, manufacturing etc
Introduction
About me, and a theme for today…
• Aero, Design & CFD trained; worked on hypersonics, rotorcraft, aircraft engines, gas turbines and of
course, wind turbines. Moved to Vestas in 2011 from GE, working on Rotor Systems; now enjoying
new concept development and (with a process hat), doing adv. technology roadmaps/programs for
Vestas.
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3. OTHER DRIVERS/NEEDS
• Surface Engineering becoming important: Next level of capability and consistency needed
Erosion protection as tip speeds go up; Understanding from t=0 to t=20 yrs, Service and Performance
Optimization needs; new markets with sand, dust
• Next-gen turbine and blade architectures: Is it time to revisit ?
Starting thoughts
3
Drivers, specific vectors
• CoE driving upscaling…inexorably, rapidly; product AEP optimization => blade families (modular,
standardized)
• “Shelf life” of blades as a product challenged  Low CAPEX architectures
• Non-BOM components getting attention… drives even closer integration design + manufacturing.
BOM
Labor
Manuf. OH
Exemplary Blade Cost breakdown*
(ex. Transport & Install)
* Actual values vary ~ function (tech, factory & manufacturing setups)
Industrialized blades – learnings – higher BOM%
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4. Next and Needs
• Inconsistent best-practices, sub-models and thumb rules… “mixing” of clean and rough data, stall
margin, 3d inboard effects, Re # effects etc. Opportunity to standardize and exploit ?
• Have we given up on the “near-stall” area ? Modeling, Measurements – more activity in DES of full
wind farms !
• Industrial V&V technology upgrade … expensive but necessary to drive from Product verification to
Technology validation. Mature industries do both necessary + sufficient validation
• Where’s the 3D Aero-elastic design system ?
…reflect on net fidelity change of Wind Industry aero systems 2016 vs 2006 ?
Aerodynamics & Aero-acoustics
4
Significant progress at airfoil level, low-hanging fruits at blade level ?
Trends
 Airfoils: NLF airfoils with high L/D, structural efficiency
 Quiet airfoil technology established, as are low-noise
blade operations (across Tier 1 OEMs)
 Add-ons proliferating to provide customization
options… but still slowed by “noisy” V&V
New generation of NLF airfoils meeting hi efficiency targets
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5. Needs
• AALC actuation & concepts that are simple,
robust and respect Wind Industry O&M paradigms
• Upgraded physical modeling to have an effective and efficient “LAC” design system
• Industrial V&V technology upgrade … expensive but necessary to drive from Product verification to
Technology validation
Loads Management
5
Aero-servo-elastic design and technologies maturing, @ the actuation frontier(s)
Trends
 “System-level” design optimization or “CoE-
effective” blades driving significant LCoE gains
 Aero-elastic tailoring (e.g., bend-twist coupling) has
become part of OEM tool-kit
• @60m+, single DOF actuation (i.e., pitch) may be
sub-optimal  opportunity for Local Load Control
• Blade design & operation… from a WTG box to a
WPP opportunity (plant power modes, yaw steering
etc.)
V90 TEF tests, TRL5/6 , <2012V27 ATEF, 2010
with DTU Risoe
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6. Comments
• STATUS: 4-Rotor Concept Demonstrator up and running
@ DTU campus in Roskilde* (4xV29,225kW – thank
you, SWIFT!)
• Proving dynamics, controls, structural, loads and power
mgt. concepts
Turbine Architectures – an alternate approach
6
Same goal… but alter the scale playing field, allow more “industrial” solutions
Hypothesis
• What if we architect a turbine around the square-
cube law but flipped ? Use aggregation vs. upscaling
• What technologies enable e.g., blade mass ratio 
system cost reduction ?
… e.g., design concepts, material systems,
manufacture & process shifts, alt. transport &
construction concepts
• Urgency: Grid parity, other market barriers…
How much faster can we realize them if scale
pressure is replaced by industrialization opportunity?
Sensitivity of scaling to technology parameters
*similar to Lagerway ’88 450kw turbine
Support structure of the MR Concept Demonstrator
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7. Backup Info:
Blade needs from Materials
Courtesy Dr. Adrian Gill, Vestas
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8. Power
Curve
Materials: Wind Industry needs…
• Lifetime erosion protection
• Easier application
• Deeper understanding of erosion mechanism
Leading Edge
Protection
• Robust ice-phobic coatings
• Heat reflective, conductive and retentive coatings
Anti-Icing
• Robust self-cleaning surfacesClean Blade
• Cheaper, more durable finishing materials
• More durable sealants
Finishing
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9. Availability
• Tougher adhesives for tolerant structures
• Performance maintained with thicker bondlines
• Performance maintained at environment extremes,
especially cold climate
Adhesives
Resins
• Cheaper, easier to use radar absorption materialsStealth
• Tougher resins for tolerant structures
• Performance maintained at environment extremes,
especially cold climate
• Conductive and insulating material systemsLightning
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Materials: Wind Industry needs…

10. Service
Repair
• Repair systems for adverse conditions
• (large moisture & temperature windows)
• Rapid cure, especially without heat
• Easy material handling
End of Life
Recyclability • Low cost recyclability of blades
Materials: Wind Industry needs…
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11. Bill of
Materials
• Stiffer, stronger, tougher with high certainty
• Whole life low cost, incl surface prep and repair
Carbon
Resins
• Cost reductions
• Faster curing
Adhesives
• Cost reductions
• Faster curing
• Stronger, lighter, cheaper
• Low resin absorption
Cores
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Materials: Wind Industry needs…

12. Process &
Labour
• Right-first-time paint application
• Metal and composite compatible paints
• Range of paint application solutions
• Not painting at all – Paint-free and in-mould finishes
Paint
Resins
• Low, linear viscosity under pressure
• Flexible choice of hardener, low exotherm
• Easier, cleaner adhesive application
Adhesives
• Low viscosity, especially latent systems
• Resistance to gassing
• Tolerance to humidity
• Low cost, 3D woven materials
• Effective, low cost tackifiers
Fabrics
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Materials: Wind Industry needs…

13. Tool and
Equipment
Resins
• Rapid cure
• Low temperature, out-of-mould cure
Adhesives
• Rapid cure
• Low temperature, out-of-mould cure
• Heat resistant resins
• Tougher gelcoats for moulds
• Easier cleaning of mould
• Tailorable heat transfer performance
Tooling Resin
and Gelcoat
Tool
Utilisation
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Materials: Wind Industry needs…