The HANNAH project, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research through the project sponsor PTJ in Jülich, builds on the material technologies developed in the preceding LENAH consortium. Its main objective is to advance the nanomodified and hybrid composite systems from Technology Readiness Level 3 to level 5, thereby enabling industrial deployment in wind turbine blade manufacturing. The effort focuses on integrating industrial constraints into the production and operational phases of the wind energy sector, with particular emphasis on scalability, time‑ and cost‑efficiency, and a favourable cost‑benefit ratio compared to current blade‑construction concepts.

Experimentally, the consortium carried out extensive mechanical testing of the new laminates under realistic manufacturing and environmental conditions. The nanomodified composites demonstrated a significant improvement in tensile strength and impact resistance, while the hybrid laminates exhibited enhanced fatigue life. These performance gains were quantified through standardized tests, and the results were used to validate computational models. Finite‑element simulations of resin flow and infiltration were performed with RTM‑Worx, allowing the prediction of void distribution and resin front dynamics. The simulations were calibrated against experimental data from the INVENT production demonstrator, which produced full‑scale blade sections. Although the high damping of the glass fibre matrix limited the reliability of ultrasonic non‑destructive testing on the thick demonstrator, the simulation approach provided a cost‑effective alternative for early quality assessment.

Quality assurance was addressed through a process‑safety concept that integrates real‑time monitoring of process parameters such as temperature, pressure, and resin viscosity. Data acquisition was performed on a platform scale equipped with a 1000‑gram test weight and a mounted load cell, enabling reference measurements with temperature logging. The collected data were used to refine the process parameters and to feed back into the simulation models, thereby closing the loop between manufacturing and design. The project also explored the use of additional non‑destructive techniques, such as acoustic emission and thermography, to detect defects in large, complex structures.

The collaboration structure of HANNAH is multidisciplinary. INVENT leads the development of industrial manufacturing methods and quality control for the nanomodified and hybrid half‑components. The German Aerospace Center (DLR) provides expertise in process simulation and finite‑element analysis, contributing to the correlation of experimental infiltration data with computational predictions. The German National Library of Science and Technology (TIB) manages data handling and dissemination, while PTJ acts as the project coordinator and funding body. The consortium also includes partners from academia and industry who contribute experimental facilities, material characterization, and simulation tools. The project timeline spans from the initial planning phase in early 2023 to the current reporting stage in November 2023, with a planned completion in late 2024.

In summary, HANNAH has successfully advanced the TRL of nanomodified and hybrid composite materials, demonstrated scalable manufacturing processes, and established a robust quality assurance framework. The integration of experimental data with simulation models has provided a solid basis for further optimization and industrial adoption. The collaborative effort, supported by PTJ and built upon the foundations of LENAH, positions the consortium to deliver cost‑effective, high‑performance wind turbine blades that meet the stringent demands of the renewable energy industry.