Vestas anti-icing solution boosts cold-climate wind energy

Vestas (Aarhus, Denmark), on Feb. 6 at the cold climate conference WinterWind (Sweden), introduced an advanced anti-icing solution to boost the business case for wind power plants in cold climates by removing ice build-up on the blades that would otherwise reduce wind turbines' annual energy production (AEP).

The Vestas Anti-Icing System is based on electro-thermal heating elements embedded in the laminate directly below the blade's surface. The control system includes different operational modes allowing the heating elements to heat separately, increasing effectiveness and minimizing energy consumption. The system is designed to operate in rotation and at standstill, thereby being applicable from low to high ice severity.

In most common icing conditions, the system ensures a minimum of 90% production retention, improving the customer's business case certainty by reducing the Lost Production Factor. The system complies with the latest warranty guidelines.

"Vestas Anti-Icing System significantly increases the potential for wind production in many cold climate locations where the risk of icing has constrained the otherwise excellent wind resources," says Brian Daugbjerg Nielsen, senior product manager in Vestas Product Management.