deadline extended for the global winDesign challenge

enel’s windesign contest for new wind turbines

Enel, a global leader in renewable energy, launched ‘WinDesign,’ an international contest where talented professionals and students, in the domain of engineering, architecture and design, are invited to imagine and design new wind turbines. The goal is to develop turbines projects that blend more seamlessly into the landscapes that host them, thereby supporting a wider role for them in the energy transition.

A Contest for Win(d)-designers

Wind turbines are widely recognized as a symbol of clean, renewable energy; nevertheless, there is growing interest in reimagining their design to further harmonize with the surrounding landscape. In response to this challenge, Enel is launching a forward-thinking initiative aimed at transforming the visual and functional design of next-generation wind turbines. The WinDesign contest seeks to engage top-tier talent from around the world, offering financial incentives to encourage innovative solutions. The competition is open to seasoned professionals in architecture, engineering, and design, as well as to companies, start-ups, research institutions, universities, and students.

The Quest for “Innovability®”

The current competition is being managed through the Open Innovability Enel’s website, a platform specifically set up to attract innovative ideas from outside the company. The word Innovability®, combines innov-ation and sustain-ability, thereby highlighting the two essential ingredients to build tomorrow’s energy world.

Tech specs, and more

The competition calls for wind turbines that of course comply with the industry’s technical regulations and standards: three-blade rotor turbines, combining the most efficient and suitable solution with the least environmental impact. But the contest asks for more: in addition to their innovation and sustainability, proposals will be evaluated in terms of their design, technical and economic feasibility.

running tor rewards

The competition will be divided into two phases.

In Phase 1, participants-whether individuals or teams-are invited to submit their preliminary ideas on the Open Innovability platform by August 30, 2025. In September, Enel will announce the selected participants who will advance to Phase 2. Each shortlisted proposal at this stage will receive a reward of €5,000.

Phase 2 will remain open until November 29, 2025, and will focus on more detailed submissions, including full technical and economic feasibility studies. A jury-composed of academic experts and Enel representatives-will evaluate the final proposals, with winners to be announced between December 2025 and January 2026.

The first-place winner will receive €250,000, the second-place entry €150,000, and the third-place project €50,000. There will also be special awards of €15,000 for the best projects in terms of Design, Technical and Economic Feasibility, and, needless to say, Innovation and Sustainability. However, it is not possible for any single proposal to receive more than one award.

Beyond the contest

In addition to looking for brilliant, innovative ideas for the wind turbine of tomorrow, Enel is also keen to highlight innovation as the driver of the energy transition, to show that technology and sustainability must go hand in hand, and to demonstrate that global challenges, like the decarbonization process, can only be met by working together.

Enel SpA generates, delivers, and sells energy in 28 countries on five continents, serving 55 million customers, while 72% (63 GW out of 87 GW) of its installed capacity comes from renewable sources: not only wind, but also hydroelectric, photovoltaic, geothermal power plants, and storage plants. Enel is also leading the way in electric mobility, with some 29,600 public charging stations worldwide.