WinDesign: the new era of wind power starts with design

Improving the harmony between infrastructure and landscape: this is the macro-objective of WinDesign, the new contest which has been launched on the Enel Open Innovability® portal. It’s an international competition that focuses on rethinking the aesthetics of wind turbines through innovative solutions that combine functionality, design, innovation and sustainability. We’re asking architects, engineers, designers and creative people from all over the world to submit their innovative ideas for the design of wind turbines. They shouldn’t only be inspired by technical, functional and economic sustainability parameters, but also by criteria for reducing environmental impact, both in terms of landscape and noise. The WinDesign contest consists of two phases: the first is the submission of proposals on our platform, and the second is the development of the projects through collaboration with our experts. It’s a high-level challenge, and we’re convinced that the solutions will bring about a new era for wind energy. For those who wish to take part in WinDesign, we have organized two workshops where all the details of the contest will be explained and questions can be put to our team. The dates for your diary, if you want to help reshape the future of wind energy, are April 15 and May 15, 2025. Innovative materials and circularity The contest is part of our journey of innovation at the service of sustainability: in this case, the environmental sustainability of both clean energy and harmony with the landscape, and the social sustainability of public acceptance. In terms of wind energy in particular, the contest is one more piece in our mosaic of cutting-edge innovation across the board – from new materials for turbines to robotics for maintenance, from Artificial Intelligence to environmental sustainability. Giant steps After all, the story of wind power is one of growth and innovation over the centuries. The first wind turbine, which was built in 1887 by Scotsman James Blyth in the garden of his home in Marykirk, was capable of powering ten light bulbs and a small lathe. The one built in 1941 in Vermont (USA) had a power output of 1.25 MW, which was enough to supply electricity to the 700 inhabitants of the area. This was a record that lasted nearly 40 years, but it has easily been surpassed by today's onshore wind farm turbines, which have an output of about 6 MW. Today, according to data from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) for 2023, total wind power capacity has surpassed the 1,000 GW threshold – a 280% increase with respect to 11 years earlier. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), wind power contributes 8% of total electricity generation, and the figure will rise to 14% by 2030. The increase in wind power generation has gone hand in hand with developments in innovation. In 1931, the French engineer Georges Darrieus patented a vertical-axis turbine that could operate independently of wind direction. Furthermore, thanks to technological advances, especially in the field of materials science, the performance of turbines in terms of power, efficiency, and robustness has increased significantly. And now, with our new contest, we’re ready to add another piece in the evolutionary journey of wind turbines, which are increasingly sustainable and integrated into the landscape.

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WinDesign: the new era of wind power starts with design

WinDesign: the new era of wind power starts with design

WinDesign: redefine with us the wind turbines of the future

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