CENER hostes the first plenary meeting of the International Energy Agency (IEA) Task 40-Downwwind Turbines Technologies

Last Tuesday and Wednesday the first plenary session of IEA Task 40 was held at CENER headquarters in Sarriguren (Navarre/ Spain). Task members took part in the discussion about new concepts in Downwind Turbine Technologies.

The main objective of Task 40 is to coordinate international research and investigate the benefits of downwind turbine technology toward the reduction of levelized cost of energy (LCOE) and proliferation of onshore and offshore wind plants.

Furthermore, the objectives set are: to innovate in wind turbine technology, to identify and resolve relevant issues of downwind design in wind turbines; to propose the modification of the international standards of the IEC according to needs (as for example IEC61400-1); renovate national regulations (for example, proposing changes in case of highly restrictive regulations).

Representatives of companies, institutions, and research and technological centers from 4 countries participated at the meeting held at CENER headquarters: Japan (the Tokyo Wind Energy Institute (WEIT) and the University of Kyushu, Operating Agents of Task 40; and HITACHI); United States of America (the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Boulder Wind Consulting; Germany (Fraunhofer IWES) and Spain (X1 Wind and CENER).

At the end of the meeting, participants visited CENER Experimental Wind Farm.