Vestas has launched BladeRobots, a wind turbine blade robot. The technology will be promoted by an independent company as a blade front maintenance solution. The company will offer automated robotics technology solutions that primarily provide efficient and scalable solutions for blade leading edge maintenance.
The solution, which was originally developed and incubated within Vestas, has been spun off as an independent company with the aim of accelerating time-to-market and scaling.
Vestas said BladeRobots provides a unique solution that can automate blade leading edge maintenance operations up to four times faster than traditional manual maintenance operations. The result is a cost-competitive and highly scalable solution that improves safety standards for technicians and, at the same time, increases annual wind turbine generation by restoring aerodynamic performance of the blades and reducing downtime.
The robotic solution can also be quickly adapted to all blade types in the industry using artificial intelligence technology.
BladeRobots will be led by Michael Thorup Svensson, CEO of Ventus Wind Services. While Johnny Thomsen, former co-CEO of MHI Vestas Offshore Wind, will become chairman.
Wind energy will play an increasingly important role in the global energy system, making it critical to ensure optimal efficiency throughout the life cycle of wind turbines, Thomsen said. With BladeRobots' automated robotic solution, the wind energy industry has a new effective and scalable solution that will undoubtedly improve the performance of wind turbines.
In addition, BladeRobots has secured a first round of funding from Skagen Blade Technology ApS, a Danish wind turbine service provider, with Skagen Corporation becoming a minority shareholder. Currently, the company's largest shareholder is Vestas Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of Vestas.
