Vestas (VWS.CO) and Boeing (NYSE:BA) announced they are interested in working
together on joint research projects for environmentally progressive technologies.
Representatives of the companies
said they are exploring possible civilian collaborative technology research
projects in areas such as aerodynamics, structural health monitoring, and
composite materials fabrication processes, design and analysis.
Boeing and Vestas have expertise in many of the same technology
fields, such as aerodynamics and materials science. During 2009, researchers from
both companies will work to identify joint projects, with the intent to rapidly
incorporate improvements into the respective companies’ future products and
services, thereby contributing to efforts to address global climate change
concerns.
“There is a strong correlation between new technologies needed in the aerospace
industry and new technologies needed in the wind energy business, and by pooling
our research and development efforts on specific projects both Boeing and Vestas
will benefit, as well as the environment that we live in,” Jan Närlinge, President of Boeing Northern Europe, said.
The collaboration between Vestas Technology R&D and Boeing Research & Technology
will take place both in Europe and the USA.
Vestas is the world’s largest manufacturer of wind turbines and has the wind
industry’s largest research and development unit. Vestas has research centers in
Denmark, Singapore, India and the United Kingdom, and new R&D units are being
established in the United States in Houston and Boston.