Simpler and cheaper turbines will help wind power compete
Materials science breakthroughs in wind turbine blade technology
could drive down the costs of building wind farms and help put
the renewable energy technology on a stronger economic footing
to compete with coal- and natural-gas-fired electricity.  Early-
stage research by General Electric Co., with support from the
Department of Energy and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and
State University, aims to use tensioned architectural fabrics
rather than fiberglass as the primary material for turbine
blades, thus driving down costs by 25 to 40 percent, according
to officials involved in the research-and-development effort.
"The fabric we're developing will be tough, flexible, and easier
to assemble and maintain," said Wendy Lin, a GE principal
engineer and leader of the estimated $5.9 million research
effort funded in part by an Energy Department program. "It
represents a clear path to making wind even more cost
competitive with fossil fuels."  GE's turbine