Episode 30
Future of Wind farms Ep 30: Dr Aidan Rhodes, Cristina Fernández Alonso, Sara Jiménez Alfaro.
What are the key challenges in manufacturing wind turbines, and is the lifespan of wind turbines impacting the sustainable nature of wind farming?
Host
- Dr. Aidan Rhodes, Research Fellow and Briefing paper at Energy Futures Lab
Guest
- Cristina Fernández Alonso, a product service engineer – and Blade Project manager at GE Vernova
- Sara Jiménez Alfaro, an aeronautical Engineer and postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oxford and Imperial College
Topics Discussed
- The ongoing construction and targets of the largest wind farm in the world.
- Challenges to the construction, operation and maintenance of wind turbines.
- Innovative research into the lifespan of these offshore giants.
- Wind power as a leading innovator in renewable energy.
Chapters & Timestamps
01:43 - Episode Introduction: Offshore Wind Farms
Host introduces the topic and guests.
02:06 - Guest Introductions: Cristina Fernandez & Jose Jimenez Alfaro
Backgrounds and roles in offshore wind energy.
03:01 - Cristina’s Career Journey
From Spain to Imperial College and her role at GE Vernova.
05:05 - Long-Term Wind Turbine Maintenance
Cristina discusses her passion for turbine maintenance and customer collaboration.
05:45 - Sara’s Research Journey
From aeronautical engineering to fracture mechanics in offshore wind.
07:04 - Fatigue and Corrosion in Wind Turbines
Sara explains his research on extending turbine lifespan.
08:11 - Overview of the Dogger Bank Project
Cristina describes the scale and significance of the world’s largest wind farm.
10:00 - Wind Turbine Efficiency and Capacity
Technical details on turbine design and energy output.
11:10 - Advances in Materials Science
Discussion on fracture mechanics and material properties.
12:24 - Collaboration on Dogger Bank Project
Multi-stakeholder coordination and logistics.
14:10 - Logistics and Transportation Challenges
Moving massive turbine components across Europe.
16:31 - Offshore Wind Challenges
Structural and environmental challenges in offshore installations.
Aidan’s Links - Aidan Rhodes Profile | Imperial College London
Cristina’s links - Cristina Fernández Alonso | LinkedIn
Sara’s links - Sara Jiménez Alfaro | LinkedIn
Produced by Annemarie van Basten
Annemarie Van Basten | LinkedIn
Additional Links
- Dogger Bank
The World’s Largest Offshore Wind Farm - Dogger Bank Wind Farm
- GE Vernova
GE Vernova | The energy to change the world
