TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER OPPORTUNITY: Wind Turbine Blade Design for Small Wakes

c. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER OPPORTUNITY: Wind Turbine Blade Design for Small Wakes This is a Technology Transfer Opportunity to license and commercialize a wind turbine blade technology developed and patented by DOE's Sandia National Laboratories (SNL). The small wake rotor design patent (US Patent 10,400,743) describes a wind turbine blade design that has a less stable wake than the typical maximum efficiency aerodynamic design. By slightly changing the axial induction, an important aerodynamic performance parameter of a wind turbine, the wind in the rotor wake recovers to the freestream airspeed more quickly. Wind turbine blades that are designed to create wakes that dissipate more rapidly have the potential to reduce down-turbine turbulence and concomitant wake effects on other turbines. This can reduce capital costs for commercial wind development by allowing wind turbines to be spaced closer together and reducing the power production losses from the wake effects. This, in turn, could potentially reduce the land or sea footprint of a wind plant by as much as half, with additional spillover benefits from reducing balance-of-plant costs. A blade design recently patented by SNL creates a faster-mixing wake that can advance these goals. The new blade technology could be applied to new wind projects, and to repowering of older wind farms to reduce array losses and increase Annual Energy Production. The repower market is expected to be $25 billion through 2030 [3]. This topic area seeks proposals from entities interested in licensing this innovative technology and advancing its transfer to the commercial market. Licensing Information: Sandia National Laboratories For business/partnership inquiries. Debi Hudgens, PhD, MBA, CLP Licensing Executive Tel: 505-284-1596 Email: dhudgen@sandia.gov Patent: USPTO 10,400,743 http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=10,400,743.PN.&OS=PN/10,400,743&RS=PN Sandia tracking number: 17139 This patent is available for either exclusive ( period of restraint ) or non-exclusive. https://ip.sandia.gov/ Questions Contact: Ben Hallissy, Benjamin.Hallissy@ee.doe.gov