Ground Breaking Wing Energy Innovations

In 1980 wind energy cost 55 cents per kWh, now it costs just 3 cents which is an astonishing 95% decrease. This progress has been made possible by major advances in wind turbine technology, ranging from the materials used to build the towers to the software that controls them. These advances have made wind energy one of the most cost-effective energy sources on the planet, and they are continuously being improved. Here are a few of the current technological innovations being developed.

1)     1) Wind turbine manufacturing companies are now experimenting with 3D printing to create molds for turbine blades. The traditional method has been creating a plug, which is a full-size model of the blade, and then using that to make a mold. The process of creating the mold is very difficult and labour-intensive, so by utilizing 3D printing, time and money can be saved.

2)     2) Another future innovation is floating wind turbines, so that offshore turbines can be placed not only in shallow water near the shore but anywhere in the ocean. The designs are based off those in the oil industry with their offshore oil rigs that float in water that is kilometers deep. Ballast systems are implemented to keep the massive wind turbines upright and generating power, which is then transmitted via cable to the shore. This technology has not been implemented on a large scale yet, but smaller projects have proven very successful. These semi-submersible wind turbines can be installed in water a kilometer deep, opening the possibility of deep-sea wind farms.

Wind energy is already a fantastic choice for power generation, but with these new cutting-edge innovations, it’s only going to get better. You too can become a part of the wind energy revolution by considering our turbines or towers.