enel's international contest winDesign to imagine wind turbines

enel’s windesign contest for new wind turbines

Enel, a global leader in renewable energy, launched ‘WinDesign,’ an international contest where talented professionals and students, in the domain of engineering, architecture and design, are invited to imagine and design new wind turbines. The goal is to develop turbines projects that blend more seamlessly into the landscapes that host them, thereby supporting a wider role for them in the energy transition.

Photo credit Enel Green Power

A Contest for Win(d)-designers

Wind turbines are widely recognized as a symbol of clean, renewable energy; nevertheless, there is growing interest in reimagining their design to further harmonize with the surrounding landscape. In response to this challenge, Enel is launching a forward-thinking initiative aimed at transforming the visual and functional design of next-generation wind turbines. The WinDesign contest seeks to engage top-tier talent from around the world, offering financial incentives to encourage innovative solutions. The competition is open to seasoned professionals in architecture, engineering, and design, as well as to companies, start-ups, research institutions, universities, and students.

The Quest for “Innovability©”

The current competition is being managed through the Open Innovability Enel’s website, a platform specifically set up to attract innovative ideas from outside the company. The word Innovability©, combines innov-ation and sustain-ability, thereby highlighting the two essential ingredients to build tomorrow’s energy world.

Tech specs, and more

The competition calls for wind turbines that of course comply with the industry’s technical regulations and standards: three-blade rotor turbines, combining the most efficient and suitable solution with the least environmental impact. But the contest asks for more: in addition to their innovation and sustainability, proposals will be evaluated in terms of their design, technical and economic feasibility.

Courtesy of Enel

Running for rewards

The competition will be divided into two phases.

In Phase 1, participants—whether individuals or teams—are invited to present their preliminary ideas on the Open Innovability platform by June 16. Before the submission deadline, they are encouraged to attend two informational workshops, held on April 15 and May 15, during which Enel representatives will be available to answer questions and provide guidance. By July 1st, a Selection Panel, composed of experts and professionals from within Enel Group, will select candidates that will proceed to Phase 2. All design proposals successful at this stage will receive a reward of €5,000.

Phase 2, which will remain open until September 29, will focus on more detailed designs, with participants submitting full technical-economic feasibility studies. A jury—comprising academic experts and Enel representatives—will evaluate the submissions and announce the winners on November 10.

The first-place winner will receive €250,000, the second-place entry €150,000, and the third-place project €50,000. There will also be special awards of €15,000 for the best projects in terms of Design, Technical and Economic Feasibility, and, needless to say, Innovation and Sustainability. However, it is not possible for any single proposal to receive more than one award.

Courtesy of Enel

Beyond the contest

In addition to looking for brilliant, innovative ideas for the wind turbine of tomorrow, Enel is also keen to highlight innovation as the driver of the energy transition, to show that technology and sustainability must go hand in hand, and to demonstrate that global challenges, like the decarbonization process, can only be met by working together.

About Enel

Enel SpA generates, delivers, and sells energy in 28 countries on five continents, serving 55 million customers, while 72% (63 GW out of 87 GW) of its installed capacity comes from renewable sources: not only wind, but also hydroelectric, photovoltaic, geothermal power plants, and storage plants. Enel is also leading the way in electric mobility, with some 29,600 public charging stations worldwide.