February 1, 2016
Suzlon Opens New Blade Science Center in Vejle, Denmark
- Focus is on Aerodynamics, Pitch Control Systems, and New Structures
- Dr. Thomas Buhl joins Suzlon to lead Blade Science Center
Pune, India: Suzlon Group, one of the leading global renewable energy solutions providers, today
announced the opening of its new Blade Science Center in Vejle, Denmark. The center is dedicated to
accelerating Suzlons vision to become a leader in technology in the wind industry. The new center will be
focused on developing the best blades and control systems in the industry, and integrating Suzlons
aerodynamic, loads and new structures research across the company.
Dr. Thomas Buhl has joined Suzlon as Vice President to lead Suzlons Blade Science Center. From the
Technical University of Denmark (DTU) Wind Energy, Dr. Buhl has more than 15 years of experience in
aerodynamics and blade structures, and has demonstrated strong leadership throughout his career. At his
last assignment, Dr. Buhl was heading the Section for Wind Turbine Structures at DTU Wind Energy where
he managed a large group of scientists and engineers with a focus on mechanical design and loads,
composite structures and structural optimization.
Mr. Tulsi Tanti, Chairman, Suzlon Group, said, The new blade center is aligned to our vision of being the
technology leader in the global wind sector. Innovation is at the core of Suzlons DNA and I am confident the new blade center will give further impetus to our research and development efforts. We believe a new wave of innovation is required to unlock the true potential of renewable energy, to lower Levelised Cost of Energy (LCoE), and take the game to a new level. Technology will be the key enabler to achieve this. Denmark is the birthplace of wind technology and we will leverage the experience and expertise of the talent pool there in our innovation efforts as we develop our next generation of turbines.
Speaking on the development, Mr. Duncan Koerbel, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) said, We believe the
new blade center under the leadership of Dr. Thomas Buhl will be the epicenter for developing next
generation wind turbines. We will continue to accelerate our research into the next generation of air foils
and rotor systems to continue to reduce the Levelised Cost of Energy (LCOE) and increase the Plant Load
Factor (PLF) for our customers. We have an aggressive series of new turbines for low wind sites planned for
the Indian and international markets. Through technology, we will advance the performance of these
machines with our fourth generation blades, augmented with improved pitch control systems, and by
introducing carbon fiber in a unique industry application. I am confident the team led by Dr. Buhl will help
advance research in all of these areas across our company.
Research and Development foot-print of Suzlon Group
Country Unit
Germany Rostock and Hamburg Turbine Development and Integration & Innovation
Drive Train Technology
India Vadodara Blade Test Center (BTCG)
Pune and Chennai Engineering (Technical Field Support)
Denmark Aarhus and Vejle Global Wind and Site Knowledge Center, SCADA,
Aerodynamics, Loads, Pitch Control systems
Netherlands Hengelo Blade Development & Rotor Technical Field Support
United States Chicago Product Improvement & Technical Field Support
