The CLEERBlade project, led by researchers at SETU in partnership with Technological University Dublin, focuses on cold spray leading-edge erosion repair for offshore wind turbine blades.
The project is funded by SEAI’s National Energy Research, Development and Demonstration (RDD) Funding Programme – 2024 call.
The CLEERBlade project, led by researchers at South East Technological University (SETU) in partnership with Technological University Dublin (TUDublin), focuses on cold spray leading-edge erosion repair for offshore wind turbine blades. The project is funded by SEAI’s National Energy Research, Development and Demonstration (RDD) Funding Programme – 2024 call.
This innovative research is set to revolutionise the maintenance of offshore wind turbine blades. Both in Ireland and globally, greater harnessing of wind energy is crucial to a sustainable future. CLEERBlade research aims to tackle one of the most critical challenges to this: erosion of leading-edge coatings on wind turbine blades, especially in harsh offshore weather conditions.
“CLEERBlade is an excellent demonstration of SETU's commitment to sustainability via research in developing collaborative projects with partners like TU Dublin to advance our expertise in the global sector of Offshore Wind'
Dr Frances Hardiman, Head (Carlow) of Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment.
“By improving the reliability and sustainability of offshore wind turbine blades, CLEERBlade aims to support Ireland’s commitment to renewable energy, reduce maintenance downtime, and make wind energy more economically viable for the future.”
Dr Ned Tobin, SETU researcher with engCORE highlighting the real-world impact of CLEERBlade to Ireland’s renewable energy future.
Wind energy contributed 32% of the country’s total electricity generation in 2024. The Irish government plans to develop 9 GW of onshore and 5 GW of offshore wind farms by 2030; and a further 37 GW by 2050. Environmental conditions like rain, hailstorms, and lightning often result in rapid wear and tear of wind turbines, with leading-edge defects appearing within one to three years of installation. These defects require expensive, frequent, and time-consuming repairs, increasing the cost of renewable energy.
“The CLEERBlade project proposes a novel, rapid, and portable polymer cold-spray technology with potential for in-field repair of wind turbine blades. This technology will address technical challenges associated with repairing various categories of blade defects, extending blade lifespans and reducing maintenance costs.”
Dr Ashish Vashishtha, SETU researcher, speaking about the significance of the CLEERBlade technology.
“The project will upgrade existing erosion test rigs, develop automated repair processes, and enhance adhesion techniques to optimise repairs. A techno-economic and life-cycle assessment will also be conducted to evaluate the long-term viability and sustainability of the cold-spray method, including its potential integration with robotic systems for automated repairs.”
Dr Yuan Hu, SETU Researcher.