Friday, March 30, 2018

Aging Wind Farms Are Repowering with Longer Blades, More Efficient Turbines

A crane lifts blades to be added to a wind turbine. Credit: Dennis Schroeder/NRELA crane lifts a blade being attached to a wind turbine. Credit: Dennis Schroeder/NREL

Old wind farms that have towered over the same fields for more than a decade may be generating more power now than ever before.

As America's biggest wind farms age, their owners are starting to "repower" them with more efficient turbines, new electronics and longer, lighter blades that can sweep more wind with each rotation. The result is a thriving new industry, new jobs and more renewable energy.