As previously detailed in the 4th issue of PES Wind Magazine in 2023, Bladena initiated the “Owners Requirements - Phase 2” (OR-P2) project in early 2024. This initiative aims to support the industry towards optimal operational efficiency through collaborative efforts with wind turbine owners (WTOs) and manufacturers (OEMs).
As turbines, and their components such as the blades, grow larger, blade failures in the early stages of their lifetime have raised serious concerns. Ensuring robustness and reliability is essential for optimal operational performance. The primary objective of OR-P2 is to close the gap between current industry blade certification requirements and operational conditions. By challenging the current IEC certification processes, the project seeks optimized assessments to enhance blade quality, robustness, and performance, consequently increasing overall reliability—and improving outcomes for all stakeholders. The OR-P2 project thoroughly investigates current design and testing methodologies, moreover, providing actionable insights. This initiative encourages the industry to implement additional, more representative certification requirements in order to ensure higher blade reliability. So far 8 WTOs have decided to join, namely Engie, Shell Global Solutions, Iberdrola, ScottishPower, SR Energy, TOWII, OX2 and another large WTO who wish to remain unnamed at the current stage. With the support of this very strong WTO group, Bladena has initiated discussions with OEMs, test centers, and certification bodies to seek a common understanding of current requirements, how could we achieve a higher reliability level, and joint ownership of the additional requirements. If you are an Owner or Operator interested in the “Owners Requirements – Phase 2” project, joining the project consortium is still open and we invite you to participate in this initiative. For further details about participation or for more information, feel free to contact Find Mølholt Jensen Bladena's CEO and manager of the Owners Requirements - Phase 2 project at [email protected]. We are looking forward to hearing from you and to having you on board in this potential industry direction-changing initiative! If you have any questions and would like to discuss wind turbine blades with us write to [email protected] ![]() We are proud to share the latest developments in establishing a Technical Knowledge Framework (TKF) under the EUDP (The Energy Technology Development and Demonstration Program by the Danish Energy Agency) funded, CORTIR III project and a corresponding successful online seminar on the 18th of June. The primary objective of the TKF is to streamline the transfer and communication of theoretical knowledge, making it more accessible to the industry. The knowledge framework will be inspired by how it is being done in other industries, such as civil engineering, naval architecture, oil & gas, and aircraft industry. In recent efforts, we have initiated a collaboration between the CORTIR III management; Bladena, Technical University of Denmark – Civil and Mechanical Engineering (DTU Construct), Aalborg University (AAU); and Technical University of Denmark – Wind and Energy Systems (DTU Wind). Firstly, we conducted two sequential meetings with Professor Christian Berggreen from DTU Construct and Professor John D. Sørensen from AAU. During these meetings, we discussed and refined the framework's methodologies and implementation strategies. These sessions ensured that the framework was both comprehensive and practical. This was followed by a technical meeting regarding one of the key tracks, “Materials and Testing”, of TKF, where experts from Bladena, DTU Construct, AAU, and DTU Wind have joined in order to initiate an essential knowledge-sharing process between the participating parties. The next technical meeting is already scheduled to ensure the continuation of the fruitful collaboration between the CORTIR III management group and DTU Wind. Furthermore, we organized a highly successful online seminar for the CORTIR III partners and the WTO Blade Network to which 19 WTOs, 2 universities, 1 ISP, and 1 OEM registered to participate. This seminar provided a platform for discussions, feedback, and presentation of the TKF's potential capabilities. The participation and engagement from the attendees highlighted the seminar's success and the TKF's potential impact on the wider wind community. We would like to say thank you to all of you who participated in the online seminar, and to EUDP for providing a platform for establishing the Technical Knowledge Framework. We look forward to the continued development and implementation of the TKF and more collaborative efforts in the future! We’re happy to announce that we are welcoming four new colleagues to Bladena! As we keep growing, we’re proud to introduce the new team members who has joined us in May and June 2024: Peter Grabau - Peter, has been a Sales Director and a board member at Bladena the last year, and now is responsible for our global sales OEM strategy. With over 30 years of experience in blade technology and a background at LM Wind Power and Envision Energy, Peter has extensive expertise in blade design and innovation. He holds two master’s degrees in engineering and an MBA, making him the perfect fit to lead our sales efforts. Jakob Wedel-Heinen - Coming on board as a Senior Engineer, Jakob’s extensive experience and expertise are going to be invaluable in current and future projects we are involved in. With over 25 years of experience in wind and renewable energy from established industry members such as TÜV SÜD, LM Wind Power, Ørsted, Vestas and DNV, Jakob is proficient both as a senior technical specialist and a project manager. Lorena Mestrovic - Our new Office Assistant! Lorena will be the backbone of our office, making sure everything runs smoothly and efficiently. Evangelos Pallis - Joining us as a Blade Engineer, Evangelos brings valuable knowledge and a fresh perspective to our engineering team. Evan holds 2 master's degrees, one in wind energy and one in environmental engineering, with his strong background his contribution will be significant to both current and future projects. We’re excited about the future and confident that Lorena, Evangelos, Jakob, and Peter will play key roles in our continued success.
Please join us in giving a warm welcome to Lorena, Evangelos, Jakob, and Peter! If you have any questions and would like to discuss wind turbine blades with us write to [email protected] |
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February 2025
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