General details
EDIHs involved
Challenges
Klima Engineering & Consulting GmbH's operates in the sustainable shipping and engineering consulting sector, with a core goal of reducing carbon emissions and supporting environmentally friendly innovation. Their flagship product is the Klima-Sail System, a modular wind propulsion solution designed to retrofit cargo ships for lower fuel consumption and emissions. In addition to green shipping technology, the company offers engineering and consulting services across electrical engineering, IT, telecommunications, ESG strategy and compliance. The company is driven by a mission to blend technical expertise with sustainability and human development.
Although global shipping is essential for transporting goods today, it has far-reaching negative environmental consequences. Klima Engineering & Consulting GmbH aims to transform shipping in a sustainable way by introducing a modular sail system. The company's vision is to use rotor blades from wind turbines as sails for ships.
The company's central question in the project was whether existing wind turbine rotor blades could be used as sails in the marine sector to reduce CO2 emissions. The force ratios generated by air flow at the attachment point of a single, vertically fixed rotor blade were examined. The resulting forces are of great importance, particularly the direction of the force. The goal was to determine the propulsion potential in this conceptual application area. In addition, comprehensive simulation studies were conducted to investigate the possible mutual influence of several “sails” (corresponding to rotor blades) positioned in series.
Solutions
Suitable initial models for wind turbine rotor blades were searched for in freely accessible CAD databases. The selection focused on two blade geometries, one approximately 10 m long and the other approximately 55 m long. A simulation dataset was created for each blade geometry and examined in CFD simulations using the OpenFOAM solver. These simulations included varying flow velocities (2.5, 5, 8, and 10 m/s) and angles of attack ranging from -20° to 20° in 5° increments. The obtained data was correlated with the expected propulsive forces, considering external parameters such as ship speed and the angle between the travel direction and the wind direction. Additionally, the influence of geometric shapes typical of wind turbine rotor blades was estimated using abstract models.
To analyse the influence of several rotor blades positioned in series, a simulation study was carried out with varying distances (5 m, 10 m, 15 m, 20 m, 30 m, and 40 m), and the results were interpreted. A comprehensive literature search and review of similar projects enabled a comparison and well-founded assessment of this alternative application's suitability.
Results and Benefits
Simulation results demonstrate that a positive propulsive effect can be achieved using the upright, fixed rotor blade of a standard wind turbine. The characteristic geometry of conventional rotor blades supports this unconventional application. However, as anticipated, the propulsion efficiency remains lower compared to specially optimized sail designs.
Further analysis of two rotor blades arranged in series revealed that reducing the distance between them leads to a decrease in propulsive force, with no observable synergistic effect at close spacing.
A review of relevant literature identified a few comparable concepts already in development or production. Nonetheless, the repurposing of wind turbine rotor blades for maritime propulsion remains a relatively novel and underexplored area.
For Klima Engineering & Consulting GmbH, collaboration with Virtual Vehicle GmbH, part of the EDIH Applied CPS, was crucial in validating the feasibility of this concept. The project offered the necessary proof of concept to justify continued development and refinement of their innovative approach.
Perceived social/economic impact
Today, the vast majority of global trade relies on maritime transport. While shipping remains the backbone of international logistics, it is also a major contributor to environmental pollution, particularly through high levels of CO₂ emissions. As global demand for goods continues to rise, the environmental footprint of the shipping industry becomes an increasingly urgent issue. If Klima Engineering & Consulting GmbH's approach proves successful, it could be a real milestone for international goods transport, benefiting the environment, society, and businesses alike.
For businesses, the potential benefits are twofold: reduced shipping costs and the ability to meet growing regulatory demands related to carbon emissions. As CO₂ reporting and reduction targets become stricter worldwide, companies adopting low-emission logistics solutions will gain a competitive and reputational advantage.
Beyond the business case, the societal impact is equally important. Lower emissions contribute to cleaner air and oceans, improved public health and a more sustainable use of global resources. By rethinking conventional maritime technology and embracing circular design, Klima’s approach supports a future-proof vision of global trade that balances economic efficiency with environmental responsibility.
Measurable data
Visualisation of the results from a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation performed using the OpenFOAM solver. The simulation focuses on an exemplary rotor blade geometry derived from a conventional wind turbine, analyzing its aerodynamic behavior under fixed, upright conditions.
Figure 1 shows the velocity streamlines around the rotor blade, revealing the airflow patterns and acceleration effects as air moves across the surface, while figure 2 illustrates the static pressure distribution over the blade surface.
DMA score and results - Stage 0
Digital Maturity Level: 43%
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Digital Business Strategy: 47%
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Digital Readiness: 36%
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Human-Centric Digitalisation: 59%
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Data Governance: 46%
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Automation & Artificial Intelligence: 12%
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Green Digitalisation: 60%
DMA score and results – Stage 1
Digital Maturity Level: 47%
-
Digital Business Strategy: 57%
-
Digital Readiness: 40%
-
Human-Centric Digitalisation: 66%
-
Data Governance: 46%
-
Automation & Artificial Intelligence: 20%
-
Green Digitalisation: 55%
The DMA results show that the company has significantly increased its level of digital maturity in many areas thanks to its collaboration with Virtual Vehicle. Notably, there were large increases in Digital Business Strategy, Human-Centric Digitalisation, and Automation & Artificial Intelligence. In the area of green digitalisation it is evident that the company only recognised the potential of digitalisation for sustainability through its collaboration with Virtual Vehicle.
Lessons learned
Do's:
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Validate unconventional concepts through simulations and collaboration with experts before committing major resources.
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Leverage existing high-quality components, such as wind turbine rotor blades, to accelerate development and reduce early R&D costs.
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Analyse comparable projects to gain insights into potential benefits, limitations, and technical pitfalls.
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Set realistic expectations—repurposed components may not match optimized designs in efficiency but can still offer significant performance and sustainability gains.
Don'ts:
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Don’t assume theoretical setups, like multiple blades in series, will yield additive benefits, empirical validation is crucial.
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Don’t overlook the impact of spacing, alignment, and environmental variables on actual performance.
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Don’t skip early feasibility assessments, as they can help avoid costly missteps later in the process.
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