TOMORROW’S OFFSHORE WIND TURBINES

ENVIRONMENT: Tom Larsen, the enthusiastic Mayor of Rudbjerg, wants interplay with important private sector players in the wind energy area. His plan is to establish a Wind Power Academy.

Tom Larsen is a man with many ideas, and for him it’s a short distance from ideas to action. Previously an estate manager, as well as a wind turbine salesman in his spare time, he was elected Mayor of Rudbjerg municipality on the southern Danish island of Lolland eight years ago. That gave him a platform for carrying out many of his recycling and energy saving ideas. In 2005, the municipality was judged the year’s energy saving municipality in Denmark: But Tom Larsen is not stopping there.

Visions
“Kappel Park, where Energi E2 wants to establish a demonstration park for new offshore wind turbines, is located in our municipality, so it was obvious to start a collaboration”, says Tom Larsen. “I had the idea of uniting all players involved in this test site including research scientists, manufacturers and sub-suppliers, in a shared organisation.

I envisioned the establishment of a Wind Power Academy, where stakeholders could exchange experience and knowledge. Where research could be conducted not only into development of wind technology, but also in derivative issues such as the interplay between turbines and the energy grid, storage of energy. And above all further development of the operational and service aspects, which represent considerable value to the turbine owners.”

Sales of fices
“These wind turbine parks could become a giant shop window for the world”, continues Tom Larsen. “There are no reasons to stop with Danish stakeholders, so I am trying to get in contact with German companies in the industry. I am collaborating with the Danish Embassy in Berlin to raise the profile and provide a perspective on the entire project for German players.

In the near future, I am attending a fair in Hamburg, and after that we will arrange a conference in Berlin for German companies. It is my hope that large foreign players will place their own turbines in our test parks in the future, and combine their presence with the establishment of sales offices.”

“In 10 years I imagine the park will look like this: Both manufacturers and suppliers have offices in the area, several Danish companies in the industry have moved their entire development department here and there are many sales offices. In one place new foundations are being tested, in another a new project is being initiated regarding transport of new large wind turbine blades, at the same time as a new cross disciplinary research group is set up with the purpose of conducting research into the service life of wind turbines.”

http://www.windpoweracademy.com