AN INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE ON THE MANUFACTURING

OF FUTURE LARGE WIND TURBINE BLADES WITH AN

EMPHASIS ON SUSTAINABILITY AND AUTOMATION
ACM5 | 15th April, 2021
By
ByJohn Korsgaard, Senior Director, Engineering Excellence

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiH823CVYCU

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LM Wind Power
A leading blade supplier to the wind industry

13 blade
factories 13,233 People
worldwide 1/5 turbines in the world
have LM Wind Power blades

Global capacity and supply chain 251 million metric tons

of CO2 mitigated 241,000 blades produced
since 1978

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LMWP Proprietary. Not to be copied, distributed, or reproduced without prior approval.
Big,
Bigger,
Biggest
Calculations are based on European data

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A wind turbine blade is a complex
structure to design and manufacture
Surface coating

Surface structure Sandwich core

Spar cap
Bulkhead

Down conductor
Root inserts
Shear web

Wind turbine blade materials (typical examples)

Reinforcement fibres (glass, carbon or
hybrid)
Polymer matrix (epoxy, vinylester, polyester)
Sandwich core (balsa wood, PET, PVC)
Root flange Surface coating (polyester, polyurethan)
Metals (root inserts, down conductor)

Premoulding/ Resin Postmoulding/

Dry lay-up Assembly Demoulding
gelcoating infustion finishing
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Blade manufacturing is still a manual
and people dependent process

From wet hand layup to dry layup and VARTM

1978 1990 2000 2010 2020

1978 1993 2002 2004 2012 2016 2019

6-7 m LM 24.0 LM 34.0 P LM 61.5 P LM 73.5 P LM 88.4 P LM 107 P

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Outlook

Blade length?

Modular wind turbine blades?

Automation?

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LMWP Proprietary. Not to be copied, distributed, or reproduced without prior approval.
Sustainability is about enhancing
enterprise value
Drive operational excellence
Exceed customer
expectations
Reduce costs
Improve safety
Differentiate our brand
Improve reputation with key
stakeholders
Reduce risk
Sustainability is about the Motivate and engage
planet, but it is also good employees
business

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LMWP Proprietary. Not to be copied, distributed, or reproduced without prior approval.
Carbon Neutral Journey…
We chose to lead, Not follow
2016-2018 : Four main workstreams
make up our carbon neutrality
2010 – LM Wind program, which we continuously
Power joins UN develop and improve
Global Comact #gocarbonneutral

LM Wind Power achieved

December 2016: Carbon Neutral status
LM Wind Power pledges to become during 30 August 2018 -
Carbon Neutral by 2018 : First for a Four months ahead of
Wind value chain company pledged timeline

Visit www.lmwindpower.com/gocarbonneutral for 10 steps to become a carbon neutral business

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Carbon neutrality = balance!

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Connecting carbon neutrality and
cost savings

$12 million in waste reduction savings in 2019

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Powering a cleaner world
with green blades
Prevention
Reuse
Repurpose Turbine
Recycling Bridges
Recovery
Disposal

Virgin Blade End-of-Life Sculptures

Blade

Blade Life
Cycle Landfill
Virgin
Materials

Incineration
Materials
Waste

Other
Recycled
Industries Cement Kiln
Materials

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Reducing up- and downstream impacts

76% 11%

76%

13%
Manufacturing waste
Materials
~20% of materials Waste
go to waste

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LMWP Proprietary. Not to be copied, distributed, or reproduced without prior approval.
Beyond carbon neutral -
Sustainability across
the whole value chain
Sustainability is a mindset

Lean as a strong foundation

Waste reduction

Drive cultural change for a paradigm shift

Reduction in up- and downstream impacts

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Thank you for your time!

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Contact details Headquarters
e
John Korsgaard LM Wind Power
Senior Director Jupitervej 6

Engineering Excellence 6000 Kolding, Denmark

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E-mail: John.Korsgaard@lmwindpower.com

Tel +45 79 84 00 00
Fax +45 79 84 00 01
E-mail info@lmwindpower.com
Web lmwindpower.com

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