CV
1977-1984
researcher at the first wind energy research group of TU-Delft, in the faculty of Aerospace Engineering. Focus was on the improvement of the aerodynamic efficiency of wind turbines.
A perfect combination of theoretical and experimental work in one of the first Dutch research groups in this field.
1984-1988
PhD research at the faculty of Physics, group Transport Phenomena. The subject was the oldest model of a wind turbine, the actuator disc. The PhD defense was in 1991.
I delved deep into the theoretical basis of the primeval model for a wind turbine: the actuator disc. Thirty years later I was done, see publications.
1988-2001
Design, engineering and consultancy at Stork Product Engineering, for all Dutch wind turbine manufacturers, for and with the Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands ECN, and for Novem, the energy agency of the ministry of Economic Affairs.
Back to design and technology, after all theoretical work. The development and testing, together with ECN, of advanced rotors showed the potential of such rotors. Industry driven was the development and testing of the NedWind 1 MW wind turbine, of which I was design leader. Dutch manufacturer Nedwind was later taken over by a Danish manufacturer, whereafter the 1MW turbine died a silent death.
1998-2016
Professor of wind energy, first at the faculty Civil Engineering, later Aerospace Engineering. Scientific director of the interfaculty wind energy institute DUWIND involving 5 faculties. Leader of the wind energy research group at Civil/Aerospace Engineering until 2006, later only scientific director of DUWIND.
See below for highlights in this period.
Activities during the second TU-Delft period
In addition to being responsible for my 'own' group at the faculty, including teaching and supervising (PhD) students, and for the TU-Delft Research Institute DUWIND, I have spent much of my time on local, national and international R&D projects, organizations and the acquisition of the necessary financing. I was initiator / chairman / board member / director / project leader of various R&D organizations, of which the most important logos are shown. In 2004, DUWIND organized the first international scientific conference on wind energy, the Science of making Torque from Wind, which over time evolved into a biennial conference, now considered the most important conference dedicated to the science of wind energy. Duwind became the leading partner in EWEM, the European Wind Energy Master program, involving universities of Denmark, Norway and Germany. In 2013 I initiated and coordinated, with prof. Joachim Peinke of Oldenburg University, a discussion within the European Academy of Wind Energy on the long-term research challenges in wind energy, to give direction to the research programs of the participating universities, see Long Term R&D challenges.
In 2003 I was one of the founders of EAWE, the European Academy for Wind Energy, with the aim of promoting education and research in wind energy. In 2008 I was president of this organization, in 2011 I received the Scientific Award. Finally, I became an honorary member of the Academy in 2016.
If you like to contact me, please send a mail to gijs.