Coventro Supports University Research Project

The wind energy industry is aiming to develop maintenance-free systems. An important obstacle on the path to achieving this goal is the exposure of rotor blade leading edges to weather conditions. When it rains and blades rotate at high speed, raindrops strike the blade edges at high velocity and with significant energy. Over time, this damages the coating layer and the underlying composite material. This leading edge erosion can reduce annual energy performance by more than 5%. Additionally, this situation requires more frequent maintenance of systems. A consortium led by the Technical University of Denmark and Conventro (the world's largest public research institute focused on wind energy) is currently running a research project called DURALEDGE (Durable Leading Edges) to investigate erosion mechanisms and develop new coatings to permanently protect rotor blades.