Advances in Rotor Blades, Conference Day 1 | Tuesday, 25th August 2026
Focus Day, Exploring Geotechnics | Monday, 24th August 2026
Offshore Foundations, Conference Day 1 | Tuesday, 25th August 2026
Offshore Foundations, Conference Day 2 | Wednesday, 26th August 2026
Advances in Rotor Blades, Conference Day 1 | Tuesday, 25th August 2026
Advances in Rotor Blades, Conference Day 2 | Wednesday, 26th August 2026
8:30 - 8:30
Registration
9:30 - 9:40
Opening Remarks by IQPC and the Conference Chair
Dr. Alexander Krimmer -
Principal Engineer Composite Materials and Structures,
TPI Composites Germany GmbH
Dr. Alexander Krimmer
Principal Engineer Composite Materials and StructuresTPI Composites Germany GmbH
Engineering for XXL Scale - Integrated Design, Technology Readiness and Structural Validation of Next Generation Rotor Blades
9:40 - 10:10
Integrated Blade Development for larger Offshore Rotors: Managing Complexity in Next-Generation Blades
Ashish Pawar -
Head of Blade Structural Design,
Siemens Gamesa Renewables Energy
• Shift from component optimization to system-level technology integration
• XXL blade growth introduces new structural behaviors and higher sensitivities
• Gap between technology readiness and integration readiness becomes critical
• Strong coupling across materials, structure, LPS, manufacturing, and service
• Integrated development is key to safely pushing blade design limits
10:10 - 10:40
Quality by Design: Designing Rotor Blades for Uncertainty by Identifying, Quantifying and Absorbing Variability in Real World Conditions
Dipl.-Ing. Stefan Kleinhansl -
Geschäftsführer / Leiter Unternehmensentwicklung,
Aero Dynamik Consult Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH
• Uncertainty as a governing design factor for modern, large rotor blades
• Where variability enters the system: site conditions, operation, transport and manufacturing
• Scaling effects and hidden aeroelastic couplings in very large blades
• Designing robustness beyond nominal load cases and guideline compliance
Dipl.-Ing. Stefan Kleinhansl
Geschäftsführer / Leiter UnternehmensentwicklungAero Dynamik Consult Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH
10:40 - 11:10
Critical Design Cases: Vortex‑Induced Vibrations in Rotor Blades
Dr. Bernhard Stoevesandt -
Chief Political Officer / Head of Site Oldenburg,
Fraunhofer IWES
- How to assess rotor blade stability under IEC standstill load cases
- High‑fidelity investigations of vortex‑induced vibration (ViV) phenomena: Advanced simulation and analysis approaches to capture vortex‑induced vibrations under critical operating conditions
- When does a rotor blade become critical?: Evaluation of stability limits and critical thresholds which could appear when deeply looking into the IEC 61400‑1 standstill load case 6.2
- From results to mitigation: how should critical findings be addressed?
- Joint discussion with the audience on interpretation approaches, implications, and remaining uncertaintie
11:10 - 11:40
Coffee Break and Networking
11:40 - 12:10
Torsional Testing: Why torsional loads matter and what we're learning
Anna Southall -
Senior Test Engineer, Research and Engineering,
ORE CATAPULT
• Why torsional loads are of interest as blades grow longer and more flexible
• Our methodology to quantify representative deformation equivalent to service life loading
• New torsional fatigue test rig set up and initial results
• Implications for future blade validation and testing best practice.
Evolving IEC Standards and Standards as Guidance - Implications for Design Quality, Validation and Reliability
12:10 - 12:40
Designing for the Next Edition: Implications of the New Rotor Blade Standard for Cost, Quality & Validation
Søren Find Madsen -
Founder and Secretary of IEC Maintenance Team 24,
Upvious ApS
• Key changes from Edition 2 to Edition 3
• New validation and testing expectations
• Lightning protection challenges for carbon blades
• Cost–benefit gap between OEMs and end users
12:40 - 13:10
Panel Discussion: Standards as guidance – Not a shield, not a guarantee.
Dipl.-Ing. Stefan Kleinhansl -
Geschäftsführer / Leiter Unternehmensentwicklung,
Aero Dynamik Consult Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH
Hinrich Graue - Senior Expert Blade Design, RE technologies GMBH
Søren Find Madsen - Founder and Secretary of IEC Maintenance Team 24, Upvious ApS
Federico Belloni - Senior Engineer Rotor Blades, DNV
Standards as guidance – Not a shield, not a guarantee. - Setting the Context for Rotor Blade Reliability, Failure Prevention, Cost and Quality, and the Future Design Direction under IEC 61400.
Standards provide essential guidance for rotor blade design, but they are neither a shield against failure nor a guarantee of long-term reliability. This panel discusses how standardisation sets the context for reliability, failure prevention, cost and quality decisions under increasing technical and economic pressure. It also looks ahead to the future development of IEC 61400 and the resulting consequences for blade design, manufacturing and lifetime performance.
Dipl.-Ing. Stefan Kleinhansl
Geschäftsführer / Leiter UnternehmensentwicklungAero Dynamik Consult Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH
13:10 - 14:30
Lunch Break and Networking
Damage Claims, Root Cause & Disputes
14:30 - 15:00
Dispute Investigations and Handling Rotor Blade Damage Claims: Manufacturing Defects, Serial Failures or Force Majeure?
Amilcar Zambrano -
Blade and RCA Expert,
DNV
• Assessment of damage drivers: manufacturing, design, operation, extreme events.
• Contractual triggers and allocation of investigation responsibilities.
• Cost versus risk implications of investigation outcomes.
• Selecting the appropriate investigation depth and methodology.
• Practical limits to investigation robustness and evidentiary confidence.
Life Extension, Relocation & Replacement Strategies
15:00 - 15:30
Blade Life Extension: Best Practice for Determining Remaining Life
Sally Poxon -
Principal Validation Engineer,
Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult
• Overview of different workflows; combining inspections, SCADA/CMS signals, structural modelling and targeted testing
• How to translate a process into fleetlevel decisions
• Managing uncertainty and defining a defendable Remaining Useful Life (RUL) statement
• Interfaces to emerging O&M and life management standards with implications for safety, risk, insurers & regulators
Sally Poxon, Principal Engineer, Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult
15:30 - 16:00
From Inspection Data to Repair or Replace Strategies
Nihal Rao -
Senior Blade Specialist,
WIND POWER LAB
Fernando Nicolas Naon - Full Stack Software Developer, Wind Power LAB
• Blade inspection data types, inspection methods, data processing, and reporting.
• Damage assessment to determine damage type, severity, progression, and impact on structural integrity.
• Repair or replace guidance including key decision drivers to optimise risk and lifecycle cost.
16:00 - 16:30
Coffee Break and Networking
16:30 - 17:00
Showcasing root bushing replacement in a Thailand wind park - A status update on actual replacement.
Edo Kuipers -
Engineering Manager and Co-Owner,
We4Ce - The Rotorblade Specialist
o Drilling old bushing out down-tower. Re - infusion of new bushings - a down tower at the wind park solution
o Avoiding new blades to be bought by avoiding blade waste
o Extending lifetime from failures happening at 6-13 years to restoring towards 20 years and comparing to up-tower repairs
17:00 - 18:15
Deep Dive D: From Competition to Collaboration: Standardization Opportunities in Rotor Blade Design, Transport and Handling
Ashish Pawar -
Head of Blade Structural Design,
Siemens Gamesa Renewables Energy
Henrik Ramsdahl Fredslund - Chief Engineer Blade Structural Design, Siemens Gamesa
• Exploring where industry-wide standardisation could reduce complexity, CapEx and risk in blade transport, handling and installation
• Understanding how blade design decisions are shaped by handling, logistics and installation constraints
• Identifying realistic collaboration areas across OEMs, suppliers and service providers without compromising competitiveness
As rotor blades continue to scale, transport, handling and installation have emerged as major cost drivers and risk factors across the value chain. This workshop explores where early stage standardization across OEMs, suppliers and service providers - covering interfaces, tools and equipment - can reduce complexity, CapEx and operational risk, without constraining innovation or competitive differentiation.
Following a short impulse presentation, participants will discuss where cross industry inspiration and collaboration create real value, and what could realistically be standardized, such as lifting concepts, transport and handling interfaces, standard tools and equipment, or common handling philosophies.
Roundtable Sessions
18:15 - 18:45
Roundtable A - Sustainability, Lifetime Extension and End of Life of Rotor Blades – From Data Gaps to Competitive Advantage?
Alexander Boeth -
Senior Consultant Compliance, Sustainability & Transaction,
Ramboll Energy
• Where does Sustainability pressure come from? Customer requirements, tenders, regulation, or internal targets – what actually drives action today?
• Data, tools and pathways: What sustainability measures are companies already implementing across the rotor blade lifecycle – and how does better data accelerate progress?
• Lifetime vs. Circularity: Is extending blade lifetime the most effective sustainability strategy, and where does circularity realistically add value?
18:15 - 18:45
Roundtable B - Methods and Mechanisms for Triggering Rotor Blade Investigations across Stakeholders
Amilcar Zambrano -
Blade and RCA Expert,
DNV
Many rotor blade damage cases involve multiple stakeholders who agree an investigation is needed, yet the methods and mechanisms to initiate it are often unclear, inconsistent, or sensitive due to contractual and risk considerations. This roundtable examines how investigations are triggered in practice, sharing pragmatic experiences from owners, OEMs, insurers, and advisors to move from damage occurrence to effective investigation.
