Suzlon Energy manufactures India’s longest wind turbine blade

Wind energy solutions provider Suzlon Energy has said that the company has designed and manufactured India’s longest wind turbine blade at its Padubidri Rotor Blade Unit.

The advanced blade (SB 63) measures 63 meters in length and has been specifically developed for Suzlon’s new S128 wind turbine family with a rotor diameter of 128 meters, 1.5 times taller than the India Gate monument in terms of height, a company statement said.

This blade has been engineered with a carbon girder which provides the capability to utilize thinner aerodynamic profiles and provides higher lift with less drag to contribute to the turbine’s excellent performance in low wind sites, it added.

The S128 series offers 33 percent more swept area (12,860 m2) and is expected to deliver 32 percent more energy generation compared to the S111.

These rotor blades will be transported using an innovative two fold transport system, which will use a specialized ‘Adapter Trailer’ for the first time in India.

JP Chalasani, Group CEO, Suzlon Group said, “The new blade will offer higher aerodynamic performance and improved annual energy production (AEP) and will harness the optimal available wind resources.”

Duncan Koerbel, Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Suzlon Energy, said “The SB 63 blade is the longest and most efficient aerodynamic blade Suzlon has ever produced. We have introduced carbon fiber in the new generation of blades. This simultaneously reduces the weight of the blade and allows us to design even more aggressive airfoils.”