CARBO4POWER

ITA participates in the European project Carbo4Power, whose main objective is to develop a new generation of blades for off-shore generators combining multiple materials and seeking multifunctionality, modularity, lightness, the integration of structural monitoring techniques and increased durability.

Problem

The Technological Institute of Aragon (ITA) participates in the European project Carbo4Power, whose main objective is to develop a new generation of blades for off-shore generators combining multiple materials and seeking multifunctionality, modularity, lightness, the integration of structural monitoring techniques and greater durability.

A multidisciplinary team of 18 partners (8 SMEs) from 8 countries provides the technological know-how and industrial focus for the proposed developments, while offering tools to achieve a balanced impact in their dissemination, communication and exploitation.

Carbo4Power is a 4-year project, which started in November 2020 and is led by the R-NANO group of the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA). It is funded by the H2020-EU.2.1.3 program. – INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP – Leadership in Industrial and Enabling Technologies – Advanced Materials Program, and has a grant of 7.8 million euros (Grant Agreement 953192).

Results

Carbo4Power will develop new materials and solutions for tidal and offshore wind turbine blades that will increase their operational performance and durability while reducing the cost of energy production (below 10ct€/kWh for wind turbines and 15ct€/kWh for tidal), maintenance, as well as their environmental impact. Specifically, the technologies proposed in the project include:

• Nano-composites based on dynamic thermosetting resins. with inherent reprocessability, recyclability and reparability and nano-reinforcements to improve mechanical properties.
• Multifunctional coatings to improve turbine blade protection (e.g. against lightning or bio-fouling).
• Design and development of innovative solutions for modularity, in which the blade segments will be obtained through advanced, automated manufacturing techniques, and which will reduce waste generation by up to 20%.
• New technologies for structural health monitoring.
• Improved recyclability and reusability of blades through the development of 3R resins and adhesives with on-demand disassembly properties.

This will provide avenues to improve the life cycle of these products as well as explore new and emerging valorization opportunities in the off-shore wind and tidal energy sectors.

Recently held membership meeting.