Gurit's offering for the global wind energy market

Mankind has an ever-growing hunger for energy. Demand for renewable power especially is growing dynamically. Wind energy has recorded double-digit growth rates in recent years. Globally, however, little more than 1% of electricity is being generated from wind while experts say its potential is around 15%. These are exciting times for a developer and manufacturer of advanced composites: Gurit is addressing the business opportunities and the industry’s challenges with a unique and comprehensive technology, engineering and product offering.

WIND POWER DEVELOPMENT
Over the last 15 years, the material solutions Gurit has developed for manufacturers of wind turbine blades have continuously contributed to the rising efficiency of wind power installations. This progress shows most visibly in the increase of typical blade sizes from 23 to 45 and now even to 70 meters and more.

TECHNOLOGICAL CHALLENGES
The growing dimensions create enormous challenges for rotor blade manufacturers as the longest blades today weigh up to 25 tons each. New materials solutions were needed to keep the weight of the turbine blades as light as possible, yet maximizing at the same time their strength, stiffness and durability. Gurit is part of the equation that makes wind energy a technical and also a commercial success story by helping to decrease manufacturing costs of wind blades and enhancing the efficiency of wind power installations. 

WIND TURBINE BLADE PRODUCTION
Blade production is complex and can, roughly speaking, be divided into infusion or prepreg technology.  In infusion technology, dry glass or carbon fabrics are laid into a mould and then infused with liquid resin. Prepreg technology uses glass or carbon fabrics which are already pre-impregnated with specially formulated resin matrices.

Corecell™, PVCell™, G-PET, Balsaflex®, adhesives and gelcoats together with structural engineering and materials development capabilities, technical support on-site, as well as an own prototyping facility.  

GROWING DEMAND FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY
Wind power generation started off in Denmark and Germany with considerable political and financial support. Southern European countries, headed by Spain, soon followed suit. Europe today still has the highest number of wind energy installations. Subsidies and political support in the USA as well as in countries like China or India have resulted in skyrocketing demand for wind turbines outside Europe as well. Gurit responded to this trend by installing new facilities in North America and in China, making Gurit today present in all major world regions with own production plants as well as sales and service offices.

At Gurit, we are proud to contribute to a growing industry that helps the world generate energy from sustainable sources through our composite technology.