A critical review of materials and manufacturing techniques for small wind turbine blades

Abstract

Small wind turbines are a prominent form of renewable energy technology for decentralised power generation. The mass scale dissemination of this technology requires an increase in efficiency and reduction in cost, which are majorly governed by the design of rotor blades. The selection of blade material plays a vital role in designing low cost, lightweight and high strength small wind turbine blades. This paper reviews specific loading conditions for small wind turbines and requirements for the selection of blade materials. Further, various material alternatives and manufacturing techniques along with their advantages and disadvantages are presented. The comparative analysis of potential materials and manufacturing techniques employed for developing composite small wind turbine blades is carried out based on specific criteria enabling researchers to identify suitable blade material and manufacturing technique for small wind turbine applications.