Offering fabric products to wind farms

Specialty Fabrics Review | February 2010

Compiled by Juli Case

There are a lot of wind farms going up in my area and I’d love it if they were a way for me to bring in new business. Are there any fabric products that I can offer them?

The primary fabric used in wind farms is the composite material used in the manufacturer of the rotor blades. Unfortunately, that’s a very specialized process, and probably out of reach for most fabricators. Since the wind turbine components often have to be transported over long distances, we assumed that there would be opportunities or a need for covers.

However, our research showed that is largely not the case. Perhaps because the component pieces are so big, especially the blades, they appear to be transported uncovered. The only covers we saw were circular covers that protected the pieces of the tower segments on their open ends. Wind turbine installations also appear not to be covered, although the cranes that are used might need lift slings. As in any construction project, miscellaneous tarpaulins or equipment covers might also be utilized.

Perhaps fabric isn’t being used in this market simply because it’s new. To explore the possibilities, we suggest investigating the wind energy’s resources, such as that offered by magazines or industry associations.

SOURCE American Wind Energy Association (AWEA)

SOURCE North American Wind Power

SOURCE Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association (SCRA)

Juli Case is IFAI’s information and technical services manager.

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