Knight & Carver’s Wind Blade Division has completed the first in a series of 27.5-meter wind blades as part of a U.S. Department of Energy project.
With the name “STAR” – which stands for “Sweep Twist Adaptive Rotor” – the blade is the first of its kind ever built. Its most distinctive characteristic is a gently curved tip, which unlike the vast majority of blades in current use, is specially designed for low-wind-speed regions. Sized overall at 27.5 meters x 2.4 meters , the blade takes maximum advantage of all wind speeds, including marginal speeds. Instead of the traditional linear shape, the blade features a curvature toward the trailing edge, designed to relieve pressure on the blade and turbine drive train. The blade is scheduled for static-testing at Knight & Carver’s on-site test facility in San Diego during December. A second blade will be built before the end of the year.
