Gearbox
ZF Wind Power launches modular SHIFT powertrain platform for wind turbines
ZF Wind Power’s SHIFT powertrain combines its modular gearbox, in-house main bearing units and an integrated generator in medium- and high-speed layouts.
ZF Wind Power has launched the SHIFT powertrain, which it describes as the world’s first complete modular powertrain platform for wind turbines. Announced from Lommel, Belgium, around WindEnergy Hamburg 2026, the platform is designed to let turbine manufacturers adapt quickly to different market and project requirements.
The platform builds on a decade of the SHIFT modular gearbox concept and 20 years of powertrain design. ZF Wind Power says it has delivered more than 3,000 powertrain systems, while the SHIFT platform has passed 65 GW of installed capacity worldwide.
SHIFT gearbox as the backbone
The SHIFT gearbox forms the central element, allowing a wide range of powertrain configurations to be derived from a single base platform. Gearbox modules and main bearing unit configurations are engineered in-house by ZF and can be combined into both medium-speed and high-speed layouts to suit varying turbine designs, load conditions and operating environments.
ZF integrates the generator into the drivetrain architecture from the earliest design stage, optimizing gearbox, main bearing unit and generator as one system for efficiency, load management, reliability and lifetime performance. The company says the platform is scalable across a broad torque range for future onshore and offshore projects.
CEO Dr. Jochen Witzig said engineering both the main bearing unit and gearbox in-house gives ZF control over performance, quality and innovation while keeping the architecture flexible. CTO Bert Verdyck said the platform delivers tailored solutions that reduce complexity and shorten time to market.
Development follows ZF’s “System Co*operation” approach, with turbine OEMs involved from co-design through evaluation, production, logistics and service, so that each configuration reflects load profiles, total cost of ownership, environmental conditions and installation requirements.
Source: ZF Wind Power press release, Lommel, 21–22 September 2026. Image: ZF
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