{"id":53284,"date":"2023-10-06T08:00:57","date_gmt":"2023-10-06T12:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.solidworks.com\/solidworksblog\/?p=53284"},"modified":"2024-08-08T13:46:50","modified_gmt":"2024-08-08T17:46:50","slug":"myriad-wind-energy-systems-improves-wind-turbine-design-with-solidworks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.solidworks.com\/solidworksblog\/2023\/10\/myriad-wind-energy-systems-improves-wind-turbine-design-with-solidworks.html","title":{"rendered":"Myriad Wind Energy Systems Improves Wind Turbine Design with SOLIDWORKS"},"content":{"rendered":"

Driven by governmental policies aiming to reduce carbon footprints along with the increasingly competitive cost of wind energy compared with traditional fossil fuels, capturing wind energy is an attractive source of renewable energy. The planet will not run out of wind, so companies are racing to advance wind turbine technology to more efficient, more resilient, and bigger turbines. Larger turbines capture wind at higher altitudes where it tends to be stronger and more consistent, leading to better capacity factors and energy yields.<\/p>\n

According to the U.S. Department of Energy<\/a>, \u201cthe U.S. wind industry installed 13,413 megawatts (MW) of new wind capacity in 2021, bringing the cumulative total to 135,886 MW. Wind provides more than 9 percent\u00a0 of electricity nationwide, over 50 percent\u00a0 in Iowa and South Dakota, and over 30 percent in Kansas, Oklahoma, and North Dakota\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

The wind energy sector has unique challenges. Commercial onshore wind turbine blades are typically over 150 feet long, and some offshore blades exceed 350 feet. Extreme blade length complicates not only testing and manufacturing but also blade transport and delivery to customer sites.<\/p>\n

The Winds of Change<\/strong><\/p>\n

Glasgow-based\u00a0Myriad Wind Energy Systems<\/a> is innovating next-generation high-performance wind energy solutions to mitigate some of the current challenges in the industry.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The company\u2019s ingenious wind turbine design captures more energy overall. \u201cWe’re developing what’s called a multi-rotor wind turbine,\u201d explains CTO and Co-founder Paul Pirrie. \u201cThe idea is to have lots of small rotors on one structure instead of having one giant rotor.\u201d Another benefit is all components fit on standard heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), so Myriad\u2019s multi-rotor wind turbine can access sites that are not feasible to access with large wind turbines.<\/p>\n

Pirrie adds, \u201c[In the future] when we want to scale up [production], all we need to do is increase volume. We can use the same supply chains, the same manufacturing facilities, the same test facilities\u2014everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Confronting Startup Challenges<\/strong><\/p>\n

Like most new companies, Myriad Wind faced the many costs of starting a new business, some expected and some unexpected. To secure financing, Myriad wanted to be able to present its ideas to investors in a compelling way that even non-engineers could understand. \u201cAs an engineer, I’ve used SOLIDWORKS\u00ae<\/a> for a number of years, and it’s the best kind of 3D modeling package software,\u201d notes Pirrie. \u201cSo, I was really keen to try and bring that into the business.\u201d<\/p>\n

Because Myriad was early stage and didn\u2019t have much funding, Pirrie researched options for a powerful but inexpensive 3D CAD modeling solution. He soon discovered the SOLIDWORKS Startup Program<\/a>. \u201cIt was an easy application process with just a few questions, including a pitch of what we’re trying to do [as a company],\u201d enthuses Pirrie. Myriad was subsequently approved to receive the software.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Cranking Out Design Concepts<\/strong><\/p>\n

Assessing different design concepts quickly helped the young company test the most viable solutions. Myriad Wind Energy also used the built-in finite element analysis (FEA) capabilities in SOLIDWORKS to assess if designs were structurally sound. \u201cIt was really quick to be able to run some simulations and get an idea of the structural integrity,\u201d recalls Pirrie. \u201cThat really helped us develop the concept further. From there you can build up the complexity, start reducing the material, and make more efficient [and detailed] designs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Moreover, Pirrie loved being able to show investors and stakeholders full-color 3D CAD models that helped everyone to visualize design concepts and gain a more complete understanding of the technology.<\/p>\n

Growing Forward<\/strong><\/p>\n

The company is planning to build a prototype of its state-of-the-art wind turbine in 2025. \u201cI recommend the SOLIDWORKS Startup Program to other entrepreneurs,\u201d concludes Pirrie. \u201cIt scales up as you grow, which is a great feature.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you\u2019d like to learn more about the SOLIDWORKS Startup Program and what connecting SOLIDWORKS to the cloud-based 3D<\/strong>EXPERIENCE\u00ae platform can do for your company, please contact your local reseller<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The SOLIDWORKS for Startups<\/a> program offers free SOLIDWORKS 3D CAD, simulation, data management and other product development software that scales with your startup needs. The program participants also benefit from free training, co-marketing resources and networking opportunities. Apply now<\/a> and see if your startups qualifies.<\/p>\n

Explore the list of free resources handpicked for you by the SOLIDWORKS for Startups program<\/a> staff members that will help your startup journey:<\/p>\n

How to Get Funding for a Startup Business<\/a><\/p>\n

Best Free Resources and Tools for Startups<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Innovative startup leverages the SOLIDWORKS Entrepreneurs Program to design and test new wind turbine concepts that blow away the competition.<\/p>\n... Continued<\/a>","protected":false},"author":107,"featured_media":53283,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2933,3285,563,26,14,18],"tags":[66,153,19,4282,4281],"class_list":["post-53284","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-3dexperience","category-3dexperienceworks","category-cloud-computing","category-customer-stories","category-design","category-solidworks","tag-fea","tag-simulation","tag-solidworks-2","tag-sustainable-energy-solutions","tag-wind-energy"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.solidworks.com\/solidworksblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53284","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.solidworks.com\/solidworksblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.solidworks.com\/solidworksblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.solidworks.com\/solidworksblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/107"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.solidworks.com\/solidworksblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=53284"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.solidworks.com\/solidworksblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53284\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":55663,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.solidworks.com\/solidworksblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53284\/revisions\/55663"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.solidworks.com\/solidworksblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/53283"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.solidworks.com\/solidworksblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=53284"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.solidworks.com\/solidworksblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=53284"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.solidworks.com\/solidworksblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=53284"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}