The Swedish Wind Power Technology Centre, SVTC, has been founded to support Swedish industry with know-how related to wind power design and to train new generations of engineers. The Swedish Energy Agency, industry and Chalmers are contributing with funding in excess of SEK 100 million to support this investment for the future.

Sweden has the potential in terms of both technology and education to create the knowledge platform of the future within wind power. There is strong interest within the wind power industry in starting up large-scale wind turbine production in Sweden. With the wind power market expanding globally there is excellent scope to generate financial growth and new job opportunities in Sweden. The wind power technology market has grown by 20 per cent per annum and shows no sign of waning. Through research, development and demonstration the Centre will ensure that the region becomes the leader in wind turbine technology of the future.

"It is exciting and an honour to be commissioned, together with Chalmers, ABB, SKF, GE Wind and others, to lead and pursue specific areas in order to bring the creation of a Swedish wind turbine to fruition. It is vital that Swedish industrial know-how is utilised in the expansion of wind power in Sweden and internationally," says Matthias Rapp, Chairman of the Centre.

Integrated education, research and innovation put Sweden in a unique position to contribute to assuring expertise, new know-how and the realignment of present-day industry.

"As a researcher within electric power engineering and wind power I am looking forward to working with my colleagues in fluid mechanics and applied mechanics with the aim of refining our expertise in designing wind turbines. This research has excellent potential to produce first-rate results due to the intensive collaboration at the Centre between the University and industry," states Ola Carlson, Director of the Swedish Wind Power Technology Centre.

The Västra Götaland Region, which is investing SEK 10 million in wind power to promote industry in the region, has produced a report on the market for ocean-based wind power.

The combination of the engineering industry, active energy companies and research at Chalmers is a sound base for industrial development of wind power in Västra Götaland, both on land and at sea," says Anders Carlberg, maritime expert for the Västra Götaland Region.

Source: Schwedischer Forschungsrat - The Swedish Research Council, sofie.hebrand@chalmers.se