



A floating network for wind energy research in Europe

ForWind at the University of Oldenburg is one of ten institutions from seven European countries in the training and education program FLOAWER (FLOAting Wind Energy netwoRk). FLOAWER fosters the multidisciplinary training of a total of 13 early stage researchers (ESR) with the aim of developing high-performance floating wind turbines and thus reducing the cost of wind power generation. The program is funded by the EU for four years as an Innovative Training Network (ITN) within the Marie-Skłodowska-Curie Actions.


Big Data in wind energy

Within the research project WiSA big data, scientists and partners from industry are analyzing large amounts of high-resolution operating data of wind turbines. New and advanced analysis methods will help to detect malfunctions in the operation of wind turbines at an early stage and to optimize the maintenance of the turbines. WiSA big data is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) with a total of 2.6 million Euros over a period of three years.


How to measure wind turbines



How do rotor blades deform in wind gusts?

In the research project TurbuMetric, scientists from ForWind, the Jade University of Applied Sciences and the University of Applied Sciences Emden/Leer are investigating how wind turbines deform during turbulent inflow conditions. The aim of the project is to develop measurement methods that show the deformation of the rotor blades while simultaneously measuring the wind field. This knowledge will help to improve strategies for reducing loads and extending the service life of the rotor blades or to design new blades that operate well even in turbulent flows.