A shot in the arm for wind energy

WindStrand, a single-end roving and knitted fabric from Owens Corning, will let wind turbine manufacturers lengthen blades by 6%, which in turn will boost power output 12%. The material is 20% less expensive than carbon-glass hybrid fabrics. And compared to conventional E-glass, WindStrand boasts 35% higher tensile strength and up to 17% higher stiffness (modulus), along with better fatigue, impact, aging, corrosion, and temperature resistance. The performance statistics for WindStrand come from beta testing in the field and design blade optimization by an independent research establishment based in the Netherlands, Composite Technology Centre (CTC). CTC studied the effects of replacing traditional E-glass with WindStrand for several components in a 44-m-long rotor (blade), suitable for a 2.5 MW wind turbine.