Onshore wind turbines have become the cheapest form of generating electricity in the UK – and many other windy parts of the world. This is partly because the design of blades to make maximum use of available wind has improved along with the height and size of installations. The technology, combined with solar, batteries and other methods of energy storage is fast making fossil fuels and nuclear redundant.
But blades whirring round 40 metres above ground in all weathers require tough materials if they are to last 20 to 30 years without having to be replaced. As well as wind strength, they must withstand bombardment by dust particles and the effects of ultraviolet light. Given the ability of microorganisms to get a toehold on almost any surface, the blades must also be smooth enough to avoid nature colonising them and reducing efficiency by altering their aerodynamic shape.
With wind an ever more vital part of Europe’s generating capacity, a research programme, AeroExtreme, is underway to find resilient materials that will improve turbines blades and allow them to run longer before they need replacing.
