Development and Commissioning of a Small / Mid-Size Wind Turbine Test Facility

This paper describes the development and commissioning tests of the new Clarkson University/Center for Evaluation of Clean Energy Technology Blade Test Facility. The facility is a result of the collaboration between the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and Intertek, and is supported by national and international partners. This paper discusses important aspects associated with blade testing and includes results associated with modal, static, and fatigue testing performed on the Sandia National Laboratories’ Blade Systems Design Studies blade. An overview of the test capabilities of the Blade Test Facility is also provided.