Danish SME developing lightning protection systems for wind turbine blades, specializing in interception implants for composite structures.
GLPS is a Danish SME specializing in lightning protection systems, with a particular focus on protecting wind turbine blades. They develop and commercialize lightning interception technologies designed for composite materials used in modern wind energy infrastructure. Beyond product development, they actively engage in research training networks (MSCA), bridging industrial lightning protection expertise with academic atmospheric science research. Their work spans from optimizing protection systems for carbon fibre composite structures to advancing the fundamental understanding of thunderstorm-related phenomena.
SPARCARB focused on lightning protection of wind turbine blades with carbon fibre composites; LIBI developed a lightning interception blade implant; Opti-LPS optimized lightning protection systems.
SPARCARB specifically addressed carbon fibre composite materials, and LIBI developed implant-based protection for turbine blades — both requiring deep materials expertise.
SAINT focused on science and innovation with thunderstorms, and SPARCARB was an MSCA training network linking lightning research to industrial application.
Participated in MSCA-ITN-EID (SPARCARB) and partnered in MSCA-ITN-ETN (SAINT), indicating a role in training early-stage researchers within an industrial setting.
GLPS's H2020 participation spans 2015–2017 (project start dates), a relatively compact window. They began with research training participation (SPARCARB, 2015) and a small feasibility study (Opti-LPS, €50K SME-1), then quickly scaled to a major SME-2 innovation project (LIBI, €826K in 2016) and a broader atmospheric science network (SAINT, 2017). The trajectory shows a clear progression from exploring lightning protection concepts to commercializing a specific product — the lightning interception blade implant.
GLPS moved from research participation toward product-focused innovation, suggesting they are maturing a specific lightning protection technology toward market readiness.
GLPS balances leadership and partnership effectively — they coordinated 2 of their 4 projects (both SME Instrument grants) while joining larger MSCA research training networks as an industry partner. With 24 unique consortium partners across 8 countries, they maintain a broad network relative to their small size. This pattern suggests an SME that knows how to lead its own product development while embedding itself in academic research networks for knowledge access.
GLPS has built a network of 24 partners across 8 countries, primarily through MSCA training networks that connect them to universities and research institutes working on atmospheric electricity and materials science. For a small Danish SME, this is a notably wide European footprint.
GLPS occupies a very specific niche: they are one of few SMEs that combine hands-on lightning protection engineering with participation in fundamental atmospheric science research. This dual positioning — commercial product developer AND research training host — makes them a rare bridge between the wind energy industry and academic lightning research. For consortium builders, they offer credible industrial grounding in a field where most expertise sits in universities.
