Behind the construction of one wind farm there is the entire complex logistics of delivering all components to the location. Today, this usually takes place by rail or special trucks, which can lead to road closures, crossing fields and the need for a police escort due to large trucks, the portal writes. Climate 101.
However, this already complex process will further complicate the expected "rise" windmill: from the current average of about 70 meters, turbine blades could increase to over 100 meters in the future.
The most efficient windmills are precisely the largest ones that produce the most energy, reducing costs. They are also the most difficult to deliver and install, and the next generation turbines will only be even more difficult.
At Radia, they saw these challenges – and found a potential solution: they designed the largest cargo plane in the world, called the WindRunner.
Compared to it, even the Boeing 747 does not seem imposing
The construction of this giant aircraft, which will be able to transport blades up to 105 meters long, practically anywhere, is underway.
Although extensive tests have already been carried out in wind tunnels, in which the movement of air is simulated, commercial operations are expected by the end of 2027.
The WindRunner aircraft is 108 meters long with a wingspan of 80 meters. Compared to it, even the Boeing 747 - 76 meters long - does not seem so imposing anymore.
But beyond that... WindRunner will surpass the world's longest ever produced aircraft, the 225 Soviet Antonov AN-1985 Mriya (84m), which was destroyed during Russia's attack on Ukraine three years ago.
Its cargo space, 105 meters long and 7,3 meters wide, can accommodate huge turbine blades.
But the WindRunner is not only designed with capacity in mind, but also with the aim of providing easy access to wind farm sites. The plane has a special system for loading and unloading that reduces the time spent in wind farms:
The cargo plane will enable wind projects to be developed in remote, inaccessible places, given that it is equipped with advanced systems for take-off, landing and navigation. Because of this, this aircraft can land on semi-prepared runways of only 1.800 meters, something that no commercial aircraft can do.
Unknown data on environmental consequences
By comparison, common runways are between 2.400 and almost 4.000 meters long.
WindRunner will be able to develop a speed of up to 740 km/h, all while carrying a load of up to 72.575 kilograms. In addition, it will be able to cover a distance of up to 2.000 kilometers, which is longer than the air distance between Moscow and Belgrade (1.712 km).
Regardless of the advantages listed, the question remains: how much could the WindRunner contribute to climate change given the harmfulness of aviation?
It is not known for now, since the company Radia has not yet published the possible consequences for the environment and the accompanying carbon emissions, as well as a comparison with existing modes of transport.
