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Energy & Renewables vocabulary · Wind Energy

Rotor blade

Meaning in energy & renewables, with examples

/ˈroʊtər bleɪd/nounCommon term

In energy & renewables, rotor blade means: One of the long, curved arms, usually three, fixed to the hub of a wind turbine. Its shape lets the wind turn the rotor, which drives the generator.

In Turkish: rotor kanadı, türbin kanadı, kanat

How it is used

Usually just called blades. Blades are made of glass-fibre or carbon-fibre composites; they are transported, lifted, inspected (often by drones), repaired and recycled. Leading-edge erosion is a common maintenance issue. Blade length sets the rotor diameter.

Example sentences

  1. Drone inspections found cracks on one rotor blade after the storm.

  2. Longer rotor blades capture more energy at low wind speeds.

Common collocations

  • blade inspection
  • blade repair
  • leading-edge erosion
  • rotor diameter
  • blade recycling
  • wind turbineA tall machine with large blades that turn in the wind and drive a generator to produce electricity. Modern turbines often stand on towers more than 100 metres high.
  • nacelleThe large housing on top of a wind turbine tower that contains the main machinery, such as the gearbox, generator, shaft and control systems.
  • cut-in speedThe lowest wind speed at which a wind turbine starts to produce usable electricity, typically about 3 metres per second for modern machines.
  • onshore windWind power produced by turbines built on land, often on hills, plains or coastal areas. It is usually cheaper and quicker to build than offshore wind.

More terms: Wind Energy

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