IWEN is participating, in collaboration with NE-2 New Energy Engineering UG (limited liability), in an ambitious international research initiative aimed at further developing next-generation wind turbine technologies. The project, entitled “Eleon 10+MW”, is being carried out for and in collaboration with the Estonian wind turbine manufacturer Eleon AS and brings together a multidisciplinary team of experts from Estonia, Germany, France, Finland and China.
The research focuses on Eleon’s existing wind turbines, which have more than ten years of operational experience. The extensive field data provides a solid foundation for the project. Eleon’s unique selling point is its patented integration concept for the direct-drive generator.
The aim of the 10+MW project is to scale the concepts up to the 10-megawatt class and beyond. In parallel, the researchers are developing a new, more cost-effective hybrid tower design and investigating rotor diameters of up to 200 metres. These developments are intended to significantly increase energy yield whilst improving cost-effectiveness.
Extensive simulation calculations form the backbone of the research work. Using newly developed simulation tools, the team is systematically investigating how blade type, geometric parameters and new control approaches influence annual energy production, structural loads, blade-to-tower distances and overall dynamic behaviour. A particular focus is on the potential for load reduction and control strategies for realistic wind conditions in wind farms.
By combining long-term operational experience with advanced simulation methods and international expertise, the project aims to lay the foundations for a highly efficient and economically competitive 10+ MW wind turbine platform.