The Fraunhofer IWES was founded in 2009 and, since then, has developed into an internationally highly regarded research institute in the wind energy sector. With the support of the central government and the federal states, it has proved possible to set up a testing infrastructure in the past few years that is truly one of a kind. The institute’s work focuses on the validation of newly developed components: rotor blades, supporting structures, and even entire turbine drive chains are all tested on the institute’s highly specialized test benches. More than 200 employees work tirelessly to develop new ideas at the different sites across the northwest of Germany, endeavoring to make wind energy production even cheaper and more reliable.
“Today, the Fraunhofer IWES is an important driver for research issues regarding wind energy use and a central point of contact for the entire wind energy sector. The IWES has been successfully pooling its expertise for ten years now in order to expand test benches and realize new research projects. The results contribute considerably to the federal government’s goal of making wind energy production sustainable and environmentally friendly. In future, wind energy innovations will remain an important prerequisite for the successful realization of the energy revolution”, stressed Norbert Brackmann, Coordinator of the Federal Government for the Maritime Industry.
The IWES celebrated these successes on October 8, 2019 in Bremerhaven, in the company of esteemed guests from across Germany and abroad. The dynamics of the wind energy sector in recent years will continue to thrive in the future and offer a wide range of possibilities and opportunities. The IWES is currently in the process of expanding the existing infrastructure and working on innovative offerings to safeguard product development. The institute is also focusing on various other future topics such as digitalization of the validation methods, the planning of new projects for sector coupling, and the development of European collaboration with renowned research partners in the interest of mastering the great technological challenges in the industry together.
“Even after ten years of dynamic development, we still have plenty of projects and ideas for new topic areas. The latest findings concerning climate change are proof for us that wind energy is desperately needed. We shall also continue working intensively to improve this important technology”, said Andreas Reuter, Managing Director of the IWES.
Fraunhofer IWES secures investments in technological developments through validation, shortens innovation cycles, accelerates certification procedures, and increases planning accuracy by means of innovative measurement methods in the wind energy sector. The institute currently employs 190 scientists and other members of staff as well as 70 students at five sites across the North of Germany: Bremerhaven, Hanover, Bremen, Hamburg, and Oldenburg.
