According to German engineers from the northwest of Hannover, there are many things to improve in offshore wind energy plants. At the 2012 Hannover trade fair, IPH showcases an offshore wind park to explain two of their latest research projects.
– Since the amount of wind increases with rotor blade altitude, future wind energy plants are expected to grow higher. Hence, the amount of wind energy harvested will increase, IPH engineers forecast. In one of their current research projects, they investigate novel construction designs and ways of combining materials to reduce the immense weight of towers.
– Nowadays hundreds of pieces of data are recorded while wind energy plants are operating. IPH engineers examine how this data can be used to increase maintenance. By using data mining algorithms, maintenance costs of wind energy plants are soon to be cut.
The offshore wind energy plants of the future are showcased in miniature size at the joint booth of research institutes and SME of Lower Saxony at hall 2 (Niedersaechsischer Gemeinschaftsstand). Focusing on ‘maritime technologies’, exhibitors present a broad range of sustainable technologies developed in the north of Germany. Research themes include e.g. wind energy, shipbuilding, hydraulic engineering, maritime services, and technologies protecting the environment. The joint booth is funded by the Ministry of Economy, Labor, and Transport of Lower Saxony.
