"The main objective of HYDROBOND is the development of a highly innovative process for application of superhydrophobic coatings onto large off-shore turbine blades, that will contribute to minimize the power losses and mechanical failures. Novel thermal spray technologies will be the way to achieve the nanostructured coatings with tailored anti-icing properties and enhanced bond strengh, in a cost effective manner for very large, composite material surface.The pursued scientific-technological objectives and impacts derived from HYDROBOND project are- Based on the properties of the new coatings, that will act as a passive anti-icing method, allow the design and construction of lighter larger wind turbines, avoiding the needs of heavier active anti-icing methods.- Due to the anti-icing properties, new coatings will allow the minimization of the ice accretion and will increase the reliability and operational life of components by reducing the mechanical failures. As already stated in this proposal, ice accretion will increase the load on the blades and on the tower structure, causing high amplitude vibrations and/or resonance as well as mass imbalance between blades, affecting specially the gearboxes whose lifetime is considerably reduced.- New anti-icing coatings will improve the cost/efficiency ratio of the blades, because ice accretion changes the shape and roughness of the blade airfoil significantly reducing aerodynamic properties of the blade resulting in power losses.- Due to the enhanced bond strengh and the ability to keep the anti-icing properties even when wear phenomena happens, will contribute on reducing the maintenance needs. The new developed process, being a portable one, will also contribute to reduce the maintenance cost of off-shore wind turbines allowing in situ repair."