Henrik STIESDAL
- Founder and CTO
- Stiesdal A/S
Bio
Henrik Stiesdal is one of the pioneers of the modern wind industry. He built his first wind turbine in 1976 and, in 1978, designed a commercial turbine representing what became known as the ‘Danish Concept’. This concept came to dominate the global market for several decades. The design was licensed to Vestas in 1979.
In 1987, he joined Bonus Energy, later Siemens Wind Power, where he was appointed Technical Manager and Chief Technology Officer. He retired from Siemens at the end of 2014.
Throughout his career, Stiesdal has been responsible for a wide range of innovations in wind power. He designed the turbines for the world’s first offshore wind farm in 1991 and for the world’s first floating offshore wind turbine in 2009, playing a key role in the growth and global deployment of wind energy.
Following his retirement, Stiesdal founded a climate innovation company to develop industrial-ised floating offshore wind turbine foundations, low-cost green hydrogen electrolysers, and car-bon-negative fuels.
Stiesdal has been granted more than 1,000 patents since 1980. He has also received numerous awards, including the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering, one of the most prestigious hon-ours in the engineering world, recognising innovations that benefit humanity.
Stiesdal is an associate professor at the Technical University of Denmark and the University of Adelaide.
