Research infrastructurefor Wind Energy

Workshop ‘Future needs for Research Infrastructures in Energy’,

Brussels, June 1, 2005

Jos Beurskens

ECN Wind Energy

Petten, Netherlands

Two types of R&D infrastructure

Intensified R&D needed to secure future expansion of wind energy implementation and Europe’s leading position.

Most probably future devts. are characterized by extrapolation of present trends:

• Up scaling of wind turbines• Up scaling wind farms• Extreme external conditions• LS Grid integration--------------------------------------------------------• Re-introduction of small wind turbines

Two types of R&D infrastructure

• Industrial

• Public, generally accessible

Industrial facilities

• Verification of product performance

• Industrial development

• Quality control

Examples: transmission testing facility, Hansen (B)

blade testing rig, ENERCON (B)

Public R&D infrastructure (1)

• Verification of design tools

• Analysis of relevant physical phenomena (e.g. dynamic stall, 3-

dimensional flow, wake development)

• Providing independent and normalised performance data of complete systems, components and materials

• Independent verification of product performance

• Wind energy technology database for dynamic resource assessment (wind data in areas not yet expored, variation as a function of

time), output forecasts, material properties, aeodynamic profile characteristics, etc.

This presentation only focuses on public R&D infrastructure

Public R&D infrastructure (2)

• System testing

• Sub system testing

• Component testing

• Analysis of physical phenomena (Aerodynamic and Atmospheric research)

• Power quality and grid integration

• Horizontal aspects (data base, atmospheric data, etc)

Research for different system boundaries and levels:

R&D infrastructure WE (1)

System testing: MW class land based test stations; wind forecasting for LS wind farms

Test stations for large w.t's; onshore

Risø (DK), ECN (NL), Windtest 2x (D), DEWI (D), Bremerhaven (D), Cuxhaven (D), CRES (GR), ITER (Tenerife, E), ISET (D)

Test station(s) for small w.t.'s CIEMAT-E, SEPEN-F, CRES-GR, ..... Test rigs for hybrid and autonomous systems

Most, if not all, taken out of operation

Offshore w.t. test foundations Proposals in D, NL Full size (offshore) wind park for performance evaluation

Proposals in NL, GR, ....

R&D infrastructure WE (2)

Sub system: nacelle testing

 

 

Rotor head accelerated duration test in climate chamber;

No preparations yet; quoted as priority by R&D community

Dynamics analysis facility for whole drive train

NREL(USA)

R&D infrastructure WE (3)

Component testing: blades & materials

Fatigue testing rigs for very large wt blades and other GRP components

WMC (NL), Risø (DK), CRES (GR) NaREC (GB)

Materials development & testing Takes place at various places

R&D infrastructure WE (4)

Analysis of physical phenomena:Aerodynamic & atmospheric research

Large WE wind tunnel Small tunnel under

construction at TUDelft Field facility for differential measurements

Pre design (ECN-NL)

Common site and facilities for comparative testing of atmospheric parameters

No preparations yet; quoted as priority by R&D community

R&D infrastructure WE (5)

Power quality and grid integration

El. laboratory with simulated grid

ISET/Uni Kassel (D), TUDelft, CRES (GR), NaREC (GB)

R&D infrastructure WE (5)

Data base

All-wind-energy technology data base

Many elements available

Extensions by means of meteo stations in relevant areas, such as North Sea, Baltic, Irish Sea, remote land locations, including data processing and storage

Basic, but insufficient, facilities operational. Nor co-ordination.

New facilities needed to meet future challenges

• Up scaling of wind turbines• Up scaling wind farms• Extreme external conditions• Grid integration----------------------------------------• Reintroduction of small

wind turbines

European test station(s) forcertification of small wt’s

Real size offshore wind farm

Test site for comparativetesting of atmosphericparameters

Test rig for nacelles inclimate chamber

Offshore test foundations

Large WE wind tunnel

Large Aero field facility fordifferential measurements

Grid simulation (soft- and hardware) labs to be expended and upgraded)

Co-ordination of exisiting facilities needed (!)

• Up scaling of wind turbines• Up scaling wind farms• Extreme external conditions• Grid integration----------------------------------------• Re-introduction of small wind

turbinesFatigue test rigs or blades

Test stations for MW-classwind turbines(for different wind regimes)

All WE technology data base

R&D networks

NL: WE@SEA (32 partners)

GB:

D: Bremen (32 partners)

DK:

EUR: European Academy for Wind Energy

(www .we-at-sea .org )

Int: IEA Annexes in preparation

NL: WE@SEA (32 partners)

GB:

D: Bremen (32 partners)

DK: Dansk Forskningskonsortium fot Vindenergi (4 partners)

EUR: European Academy for Wind Energy

(www .we-at-sea .org )

Int: IEA Annexes in preparation

R&D networks

European Academy for Wind Energy

• MEASNET

• EWEA

(EU project Wind Energy Network)

provides an efficient discussion platform between industry and R&D community

Other relevant networks:

Networks already areefficient tools to bridge the gaps between fundamental research and application