Aiolos NTUA Takes First Place at International Wind Energy Contest
The student team Aiolos NTUA from the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) has won the first place at the International Small Wind Turbine Contest (ISWTC) in Nantes, France.
The student team was formed in 2022, during a small wind turbine manufacturing workshop organised by the Smart grids Research Unitof theElectric Energy Systems Laboratory (SmartRUE) of the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering of the NTUA, in cooperation with the Laboratory of Aerodynamics of the School of Mechanical Engineering of the NTUA.
Rather than just teaching small wind turbine theory, SmartRUE created a practical experience, where students used basic materials, such as wood for blades, steel for frames, copper wire for coils, in order to construct a 3 kW, 4.3 m rotor diameter small wind turbine. Later on, SmartRUE researchers worked alongside students to install the turbine at the Gaidouromantra Microgrid on Kyhton island.
Two years ago, in 2023, the small wind turbine student team took the name Aiolos NTUA and started to evolve rapidly. In 2024 the team took part for the first time in the ISWTC contest, that year taking place at the TU Delft wind tunnel in the Netherlands, and built "Meltemi," a handcrafted wooden wind turbine, with which they managed to pass successfully all tests and requirements of the contest, while returning to Greece full of enthusiasm and energy for the coming year. In 2025, the team created "Zephyros," a 3D-printed turbine with improved performance, with which they managed to win first place in the ISWTC contest, this year taking place at the Jules Verne Wind Tunnel at CSTB in Nantes, France.
For Aiolos NTUA, winning both the overall contest, as the most efficient and sustainable design, and second place in power production, validates the team’s rapid technical advancement and dedication. While competing against top universities worldwide, the team proved that practical education combined with student dedication can achieve international recognition. This international victory puts NTUA on the map as a leading institution in renewable energy education.
