Oldenburg, 18.02.2014. Pooling research into wind energy and promoting knowledge transfer between science, industry and politics - this was the aim when the ForWind Centre for Wind Energy Research was launched in 2004. Nine research groups from the universities of Oldenburg and Hanover joined forces at the time. The University of Bremen joined the centre in 2009. Today, ForWind has a total of 28 working groups with almost 300 employees at the three locations. They conduct engineering and physical research in all areas of wind energy.

ForWind is celebrating its tenth anniversary today with a ceremony in the lecture theatre centre of the University of Oldenburg, looking back on a dynamic development. Guests include Lower Saxony's Minister for Science and Culture, Dr Gabriele Heinen-Kljajic, Prof Dr Katharina Al-Shamery, Vice President for Research at the University of Oldenburg, Prof Dr Erich Barke, President of Leibniz Universität Hannover and Dr Martin Mehrtens, Chancellor of the University of Bremen, as representatives of the participating universities, as well as numerous personalities from politics, business and science.

"The ForWind research network provides significant impetus for the future of renewable energies," said Dr Gabriele Heinen-Kljajic, Lower Saxony's Minister for Science and Culture, on the occasion of the institution's tenth anniversary. "With its strong international commitment and close co-operation with partners from science and industry, ForWind has contributed to making the northwest a top location for wind energy research."

Research into renewable energies has a tradition of more than 30 years at the University of Oldenburg, emphasised Al-Shamery on the occasion of the celebrations. "ForWind - founded with the support of the state of Lower Saxony - is an excellent example of how activities and expertise can be bundled in a strong co-operation. The sustainable energy supply from renewable energies is a central challenge of our time. With ForWind, the universities of Oldenburg, Hanover and Bremen are taking responsibility for mastering this challenge," says Al-Shamery.

Ten years after its foundation, ForWind has a firm place in the national and international research landscape. For example, its scientists are involved in research projects on the large offshore wind farms "Alpha Ventus", "EnBW Baltic 1" and "BARD Offshore 1" and are involved as experts in numerous specialised committees. Together with the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy and Energy System Technology (IWES), ForWind founded the "Wind Energy Research Network" last year. It brings together more than 600 scientists who are working on large-scale projects to address urgent issues relating to onshore and offshore wind energy - from wind as a resource to individual wind turbines and their components to the interaction of turbines in large wind farms and their integration into the energy supply system. To this end, they have access to research infrastructure with test centres and laboratories that set standards worldwide.

In addition to numerous research projects, ForWind has continuously expanded its infrastructure: in 2012, the foundation stone was laid for the globally unique "Test Centre for Support Structures" at the University of Hanover. In the approximately 20 metre high test hall, ForWind scientists want to simulate the conditions on the high seas and test original components of offshore wind turbines. The aim is to extend the service life of wind turbines, reduce production costs and make the supporting structures even safer. The investment volume of the test centre amounts to around 25 million euros.

Since 2010, the scientists in Oldenburg have been using their own mainframe computer, which enables highly complex and precise calculations of the flow around rotor blades and entire wind turbines as well as the flow within wind farms. In 2012, the German Council of Science and Humanities approved the construction of a research laboratory for turbulence and wind energy systems at the University of Oldenburg. A turbulent wind tunnel will form the centrepiece of the new building, which will cover 2,300 square metres and cost around 21 million euros. Among other things, its long measuring section will make it possible to experimentally investigate the interaction of several wind turbines in a network. The measurements will help to increase the efficiency of wind farms and avoid technical and financial risks.

A 180 metre high wind turbine in Bremen Industrial Park was put into operation by the University of Bremen in 2012. Here, ForWind scientists can carry out research projects on the performance, service life and environmental compatibility of wind turbines. A "laboratory for large gear measurements", the only one of its kind in Germany, was also set up in Bremen to analyse new and defective wind turbine gearwheels. In this way, the scientists want to investigate the relationship between the design, production, quality and functional properties of large gears and their effects on wear, service life, type of damage and noise development.

In addition to high-level wind energy research, ForWind offers training and further education for future scientists, engineers, subjects and managers and is involved in knowledge transfer. The spectrum ranges from information offers for the interested public to specialist seminars in the ForWind Academy and extra-occupational and undergraduate wind energy degree programmes.