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Germany's Euros Entwicklungsgesellschaft für Windkraftanlagen is negotiating with several companies to manufacturer its new family of rotor blades. While Euros declines to name the potential players, it says blade sales are due to start in early 1999.

Construction of a pilot series will start soon, says Euros, to be tested in the autumn on a Lagerwey gearless 750 kW machine (“uåX˜äŠÊ˜·³Ç, May 1998). The blades are designed for pitch controlled turbines of 600 kW and larger. A noticeable difference between a Euros blade and those of its competitors, say the developers, is the inclusion of a so-called "slat" about six metres long and 35 centimetres wide fitted to the leading edge of the blades to improve performance. With a choice of tips, the blades also come with a choice of root profile as an alternative to blade extensions.

The EU 51 blades for 600-750 kW units are between 23.5-25.5 metres long and weigh from 2200-2700 kilograms. The EU 55 is designed for 750 kW to 1 MW turbines, with lengths up to 27.5 metres and weights from 2800-3400 kg. The largest blade type, the EU 59, is up to 29.5 metres long and weighs up to 4200 kilos, designed for 1-1.5 MW machines.

Development of the blades was supported by a grant of more than DEM 1 million from Zukunftsinitiative Ökologisches Wirtschaftsprogram, a joint program run by the EU and the land of Berlin. Others involved in the project are Aerodyn and the University of Oldenburg in Germany and TU Delft in the Netherlands.