In the wind energy research Bremerhaven is playing in the top league. A dense network of research facilities, institutes and testing centers is advancing the offshore industry.

Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy and Energy System Technology (IWES)
The Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy and Energy System Technology (IWES) is  playing a leading role in Bremerhaven. In a nationwide unique rotor blade test center up to 90 m long rotor blades are tested. A unique feature of the new test facility is a tiltable steel concrete block, weight 1,000 tons, to which the wing is mounted in a horizontal position. The sheet can be, if fixed this way, bend in different directions at the wing tips up to 25 meters or enable constant vibrations.

Nacelle Testing Facility from 2012
The engineering building of IWES in the immediate vicinity will be ready for occupancy in 2012.  Meanwhile the funds in the amount of 29 million ? have been secured for the construction of a nacelle test facility which will expand the range of services of IWES again significantly. A total of around 120 employees will be working in Bremerhaven.

Research initiative "Wind Energy 2020"
With the start of the research initiative "Wind Energy 2020" in May 2011 a nationwide unique cooperation was sealed. ForWind (Center for Wind Energy Research of the Universities of Oldenburg, Hanover, Bremen) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy and Energy System Technology (IWES) have come together to form a research consortium for windenergy.

Wind tunnel center
The wind tunnel center of the German WindGuard Engineering GmbH in Bremerhaven also offers a unique infrastructure for research and development. The acoustically optimized wind tunnel rotor blade segments and wind farm models are being tested.

fk wind - Institute for Wind Energy
The Institute for Wind Energy at Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences conducts applied research in the field of wind energy technology in close cooperation with the Bachelor course of studies  Maritime Technologies and its focus on wind energy and marine technology, as well as to the Master?s course of studies program
wind energy technology. The institute operates inter alia on topics such as monitoring of  loads, operating and environmental conditions, rotor aerodynamics, rotor blade structures and - icing, sensor- and measurement technology or recycling and life cycle assessment.

Course of Studies of Wind Energy Technology
On the basis of the developments in the field of wind energy and the demand submitted to the University of Applied Sciences for specific qualified engineers from industry, the Master's program for wind energy technology has been created with the support of the regional economy. In the course of studies engineers are trained to understand the complex system of "wind energy plants" as a whole and to comprehensively exercise cross-cutting tasks as professionals and managers in the wind energy technology.