Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy SystemsIncreasing competition and a much more professionalized industrial environment have seen the expectations for wind turbines rise dramatically in recent years. Even when it comes to newly developed products there is now an assumption that the first units to be supplied will perform to a high degree of reliability. Before investors agree to finance today's wind energy projects they expect to see evidence of a proven track record. OEMs therefore take the view that new developments and even modifications to existing installations constitute a considerable financial risk.
Fraunhofer IWES combines the technical skills of its personnel with the advantages of an extensive and unique testing infrastructure in a way that systematically identifies and minimizes development risks. This speeds up the work involved in the certification and market introduction of innovative products and raises the quality standard. A good example of this in action is the continuous process of rotor blade development in which all relevant development stages, from the description of the wind field and the approval of materials and components through to the testing of complete blades, can be assessed and validated.
