The SWIP Project (New innovative solutions, components and tools for the integration of wind energy in urban and peri-urban areas) is a European R&D program to develop the use of small and medium size wind turbines in Europe.
To satisfy the energy needs and low carbon goals, the European Union relies on the use of clean and renewable energies and wind energy plays a key role in this European energy issue. Small wind turbines are not enough used despite their great potential, because of some obstacles that SWIP Project wants to overcome.
- Small and medium turbines are too expansive. Solution: designing a low cost wind generator, providing news concepts for energy generation.
- Small wind project are not enough performant in cities. Solution: using more accurate wind resource assessment and prediction tool which take into account shading and turbulence effects of surrounding obstacles in urban areas.
- Small wind turbines are noisy and make vibrations. Solution: designing new technology wind blades to reduce noise and vibration.
- Small and medium turbines are not safe in cities. Solution: implementing a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system to improve operation & maintenance – control of turbines and safety issues.
- Small wind turbines are not nice-looking into the city landscape. Solution: developing new blade design as already mentioned but also best practices guidelines for the aesthetic integration of small turbines into urban settings.
Such solutions should help to reduce investment costs and increase the attractiveness of small wind turbines by combatting social apprehension of urban people.
Co-financed by the European Commission under the Seventh Framework Program for Research & Technological Innovation, SWIP Project is coordinated by the Spanish Research Centre for Energy Resources and Consumption, CIRCE. SWIP Project will last till January 2017. It involves 13 partners from 10 European States, among them: 6 SME, 1 large industry, 5 research centres and 1 public authority.
More information: http://www.swipproject.eu/
