Ray Lewis, Market Segment Manager, Wind Energy at Diab, looks at the evolving product life cycles of core materials used in the manufacture of composite wind blades. How do market conditions and supply chain issues affect production decisions and what might the future look like as demand grows for zero carbon energy types?
Following articles published in PES in 2013 and 2015, there have been many changes taking place in an ever-dynamic global wind market. After the 2020 bubble, the market is currently flat, ahead of anticipated growth in offshore and repowering.
Consequently, all stakeholders face a challenging period, and many are now focusing on getting ready for the next scalability challenge. As such, now seems an opportune time to reflect on how this has and is developing in one specific area, structural core to meet market needs. Both the author and Diab have been involved throughout the period of modern day wind turbines, so share their experience here on the journey they have seen and expect to see.
