Trends, Prospects, and R&D Directions in Wind Turbine Technology

Wind energy is establishing itself probably as the leading source of renewable energy to sustain the programs for sustainable development. To this end, discussions are ongoing in many countries to prioritize the future trends for wind energy research and then of R&D directions for wind turbine technology. Based on an extended survey of the present world scenario, the study is aimed at highlighting the current state-of-the-art in the field of wind turbine technology, as well as the trends and prospect in a short and medium term. In particular, seven trends are proposed, which are thought to be responsible of shaping the future of wind turbines. As a conclusive section, a critical overview on the obstacles and the less-know issues related to wind energy is provided.