To reduce the levelized cost of energy, wind industry players all want the same thing: wind turbines with the highest annual power output at the most competitive cost. This has practical implications for the development of gearboxes, which regulate rotation speed and improve efficiency in wind turbine systems. As such, there’s a rapid increase in torque requirements. For example, these requirements already exceed 8,000 kilonewton meters (kN-m) for new onshore developments. And for offshore projects, that number even doubles. 

Needless to say, an innovative and tech-driven solutions provider like ZF Wind Power continuously aims to increase the torque levels of the gearboxes and powertrains it develops. To achieve just that, testing and validation are key. That’s where the investment project in Flanders comes in. At ZF’s Lommel-based site, which houses the German company’s core knowhow and expertise in wind gearbox innovation and validation, a brand-new 30 MW test rig will be installed. But this is no ordinary rig: according to ZF, upon completion, it will be the largest test rig in the world.

“The importance of this Test & Prototype Center cannot be underestimated, especially given the ongoing energy crisis,” concludes Flanders’ Minister-President Jan Jambon. “Flanders is doing everything it can to accelerate the transition to sustainable energy and we plan to back ZF’s major investment project by providing ‘Strategic Transformation Support’.”