Towards more resilient wind turbines

The chemical industry has developed an alternative to well-established epoxy based composites, recently launching the first ever large polyurethane rotor blade. These rotor blades are fabricated in a special process from a polyurethane resin and a glass fiber fabric. The use of polyurethane resin instead of conventional epoxy-based composites makes the blade production cycle shorter and less energy intensive. Additionally, the new material has better mechanical properties.

As a result, the wind blades become lighter, yet longer and therefore more cost-efficient than those made from conventional materials, increasing the feasibility of wind as a low-carbon energy solution.

Click here to read more about how the chemical industry helps advance the production of more efficient wind turbines or see how chemistry contributes to low carbon economy.