Can wind power be a key role in today's electricity generation mix?

And they had "enabled wind energy to fulfil a crucial role in today's electricity generation mix". The 2024 Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering laureates were announced at a ceremony in London's Science Museum, on Tuesday evening, in the presence of the Princess Royal. Their recognition follows last year's award to the pioneers of solar power.

How has Andrew Garrad revolutionized wind turbine engineering?

Andrew Garrad ‘s revolutionary BLADED computational design tool has revolutionized turbine engineering by enabling comprehensive modeling and predicting turbine behavior. This sophisticated tool has empowered engineers to confidently design and manufacture large-scale wind turbines, driving the rapid expansion of the global wind energy sector.

When will wind energy be installed?

When Mr Stiesdal and Mr Garrad began their careers, wind energy was an insignificant component of the energy mix. It took 40 years to achieve 1 TW of global installed capacity - but most commentators expect the next one to be installed before the end of the decade.

Is wind power a key part of the green transition?

From Stiesdal and Garrad’s innovations some 50 years ago, the wind power industry has become a key part of the green transition. While it did take four decades to achieve 1 terawatt of global installed capacity, today more than 18% of electricity generation in Europe comes from wind power. In the UK alone, that figure is closer to a third.

Who invented wind turbines?

Denmark's Henrik Stiesdal framed the early design principles for wind turbines and led the installation of the world's first offshore wind farm. The UK's Andrew Garrad developed the computer models that optimise and certify turbine and farm designs. Their innovations had changed the world, the judges said.

What is a wind energy award & why is it important?

Stiesdal said the award “represents much more than personal recognition; it is a tribute to the collective efforts of pioneers and engineers in wind power,” while Garrad similarly added: “Henrik and I see ourselves as representatives of a much bigger group of people who have made wind energy an essential part of our zero-carbon future.”