Turbines designed for the strongest winds

Could this design be used in places previously unsuitable for wind farms?

Spotted: According to the International Energy Agency, wind power generation exceeded 2,100 terawatt-hours in 2022. But it will have to grow a lot more to stay on track to meet 2050 targets. Luckily, there is a lot of unused wind capacity, including winds that are too fast or gusty for traditional wind turbine technology.

Startup Terawind has developed a new approach to turbine design that allows turbines to be used with intermittent, irregular, and volatile wind speeds. The design uses smaller but more powerful rotors, which are easily transported and can be installed in complex terrain, such as on mountains and along coasts. The turbines offer optimised aerodynamics for maximum wind energy extraction and reduced noise, along with a bird collision avoidance system to safeguard local biodiversity.

The company says that the turbines could also be ideal for areas with strong downdrafts, or katabatic winds (carrying high-density air down a slope) such as the Bora or Mistral. These have very high wind energy potential but have so far hardly been used for wind energy generation.

The company is supported by seed grants from the development bank Austria Wirtschaftsservice (the government-owned federal development and financing bank) and is developing smaller-scale prototypes for its wind turbines. Terawind’s first wind turbines are expected to be available in 2025.

Written By: Lisa Magloff