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INNOVATION
ANTI-ICING NANOCOATING
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Market Maturity: Market Ready
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Market Creation Potential
This innovation was assessed by the JRC’s Market Creation Potential indicator framework as having a High” level of Market Creation Potential. Only innovations that are showing multiple signals of market creation potential are assigned a value under this indicator system. Learn more
Go to Market needs
Needs that, if addressed, can increase the chances this innovation gets to (or closer to) the market incude:
  • Secure capital
  • Scale-up market opportunities
Location of Key Innovators developing this innovation
Key Innovators
UN Sustainable Development Goals(SDG)
This innovation contributes to the following SDG(s)
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 7
Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

The UN explains: "Energy is central to nearly every major challenge and opportunity the world faces today. Be it for jobs, security, climate change, food production or increasing incomes, access to energy for all is essential.

Transitioning the global economy towards clean and sustainable sources of energy is one of our greatest challenges in the coming decades. Sustainable energy is an opportunity – it transforms lives, economies and the planet."

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 9
Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

The UN explains: "Investments in infrastructure – transport, irrigation, energy and information and communication technology – are crucial to achieving sustainable development and empowering communities in many countries. It has long been recognized that growth in productivity and incomes, and improvements in health and education outcomes require investment in infrastructure."

The EU-funded Research Project
This innovation was developed under the Horizon Europe project Nanowings with an end date of 31/12/2025
  • Read more about this project on CORDIS
Description of Project Nanowings
Although winters are the best season for wind energy harvesting, icing is a major problem affecting the competiveness of this type of renewable energy. In Europe, about 94% of the windfarms have suffered icing events, which reduce turbine performance and causing even temporary shutdowns. Indeed, icing-induced power output losses in wind farms are found to reach over 20% of the annual production. There is not yet an efficient, cost-effective anti-icing or de-icing solution on the market: active solutions (thermal and mechanical systems) present low efficiency while passive technologies (typically coatings and paints) are not easily applied, and their durability and effectiveness are not well demonstrated. Nanowings will overcome the icing challenge by developing a disruptive transparent nanocoating (super-glue polymers and nanoparticles blended formulation) with outstanding anti-icing and anti-fouling properties that can be applied in-situ via an innovative, portable, and light module (mini-electrospinning and heating system) which can be mounted under a remotely controlled drone. 5 g/m2 of the nanomaterial coated over the surface of a fiberglass-reinforced polyester or epoxy wind turbine blade creates a nano-rough layer (0.5 µm thick) that reduces the wettability of the surface and imprint self-cleaning properties. By avoiding ice accretion, Nanowings reduces downtimes and increases the electricity production of the wind turbine. Nanowings is seizing a new concept of engineering and electrospinning of nanomaterials demonstrated at lab scale by partner LINARI. Moreover, the international consortium brings together top-notch academics (DTU) with seminal contributions in advanced nanomaterials and wind turbines performance under icing conditions; a well-recognized utility company (ENEL) as end-user and key testing partner (Valdihuelo Wind Farm - Spain), and an SME (EOLOGIX) with innovation in on-site wind turbines inspection based on avant-garde adhesive sensors.

Innnovation Radar's analysis of this innovation is based on data collected on 22/03/2024.
The unique id of this innovation in the European Commission's IT systems is: 120840