BayWa r.e. Rotor Service GmbH and their joint-venture partners SPITZNER ENGINEERS GmbH and fk-wind, the Institute for Wind Energy at Bremerhaven University, have earned the German Renewables Award 2013 in the “Project of the Year” category.
BayWa r.e. Rotor Service GmbH is a subsidiary of BayWa r.e. renewable energy GmbH (BayWa r.e.). With many years of experience in the market, it specialises in optimising and maintaining wind turbines. The collaboration between the wind power sector and SPITZNER ENGINEERS, with their expertise gained in the aerospace industry, has led to an innovative development that will make it possible to optimise wind turbines after installation.
The award scheme was set up by the Hamburg Renewables Cluster (EEHH-Cluster) and the ceremony took place on 14 November 2013 in Hamburg. Entries submitted were judged by an independent jury comprising eight highly regarded representatives from the worlds of business and science. The e-ro® product, which was developed by three joint-venture partners, claimed first place. In their speech, the judges praised the “very thorough and soundly reasoned scientific approach” of the team responsible for the project, calling the e-ro® an “exceptionally innovative solution”.
Mr Taft, Managing Director of BayWa r.e. , toasted this success: “The development of e-ro® marks a milestone in increasing the efficiency of wind turbines. At relatively low costs, we can achieve major improvements. This raises justified expectations of a promising market ahead.”
The e-ro® principle is based on an innovative blade design, which can deliver a substantial increase in performance when retrofitted to wind turbines. By combining aerodynamic profiles with passive boundary-layer control technology, engineers have been able to considerably improve the efficiency of rotor blades. In this, engineers recognise an enormous potential for locations with low and average wind levels as well as for wind farms that are not achieving their predicted yields. Following the successful completion of 18 months on test, the team in charge of this project is looking forward to their first turbine refits for actual customers. The engineers are optimistic about being able to make a major contribution to substantial additional yields in the wind power sector with this technology.
Press release, November 29, 2013; Image: EEHH GmbH, Christian Schmid