The Energy Fix: Wind Power Blades Get Bigger, Turbines Get Smarter
Wind Power Future Metal inserts built into the carbon-fiber blade during manufacture mean the root end, bolted to the hub, can be slimmer, stronger, and more aerodynamically efficient. • Fabricating the carbon fiber in modular pieces, rather than one long blade, ensures the material's consistency and reduces the risk of failure. • An erosion-protection material molded into the leading edge of the blade reduces wear and tear over the blade's lifetime. Graham Murdoch A look at tomorrow's turbines In 2012, wind power added more new electricity production in the U.S. than any other single source. But even with 60 gigawatts powering 15 million homes, wind supplants just 1.8 percent of the nation's carbon emissions. Tomorrow's turbines will have to be more efficient, more affordable, and in more places. The Supersize Route Bigger Blades Big rotors generate more electricity, particularly from low winds, but oversize trucks hauling blades the length of an Olympic pool can't...