de ▁systems , ▁there ▁has ▁been ▁continuous ▁effort ▁toward ▁developing ▁cost - effect ive ▁materials ▁with ▁higher ▁strength - to - mass ▁r ati os . ▁To ▁extend ▁the ▁current ▁ 2 0 ▁year ▁lifetime ▁of ▁bl ades ▁and ▁enable ▁larger ▁area ▁bl ades ▁to ▁be ▁cost - effect ive , ▁the ▁design ▁and ▁materials ▁need ▁to ▁be ▁optimized ▁for ▁st iff ness , ▁strength , ▁and ▁fat igue ▁resistance . ▁ ▁The ▁majority ▁of ▁current ▁commercial ized ▁wind ▁tur bine ▁bl ades ▁are ▁made ▁from ▁fib re - re in for ced ▁polym ers ▁( FR P s ), ▁which ▁are ▁compos ites ▁consisting ▁of ▁a ▁polym er ▁matrix ▁and ▁fib res . ▁The ▁long ▁fib res ▁provide ▁longitud inal ▁st iff ness ▁and ▁strength , ▁and ▁the ▁matrix ▁provides ▁f ract ure ▁t ough ness , ▁del am ination ▁strength , ▁out - of - plane ▁strength , ▁and ▁st iff ness . ▁Material ▁indices ▁based ▁on ▁maxim izing ▁power ▁efficiency , ▁and ▁having ▁high ▁f ract ure ▁t ough ness , ▁fat igue ▁resistance , ▁and ▁thermal ▁stability , ▁have ▁been ▁shown ▁to ▁be ▁highest ▁for ▁glass ▁and ▁carbon ▁fib re ▁rein for ced ▁pl ast ics ▁( G FR P s ▁and ▁C FR P s ). ▁ ▁Man ufact uring ▁bl ades ▁in ▁the ▁ 4 0 ▁to ▁ 5 0 - met re ▁range ▁involves ▁proven ▁fib reg lass ▁composite ▁fabric ation ▁techniques . ▁Man ufact ures ▁such ▁as ▁Nor dex ▁SE ▁and ▁G E ▁Wind ▁use