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Wind turbine systems and methods are disclosed herein. A representative system includes a wind turbine blade having an inner region that has an internal load-bearing truss structure, and an outer region that has an internal, non-truss, load-bearing structure. In particular embodiments, the truss str

Wind turbine systems and methods are disclosed herein. A representative system includes a wind turbine blade having an inner region that has an internal load-bearing truss structure, and an outer region that has an internal, non-truss, load-bearing structure. In particular embodiments, the truss structure can include a triangular arrangement of spars, and/or can include truss attachment members that connect components of the truss without the use of holes in the spars. Spars can be produced from a plurality of pultruded composite members laminated together in longitudinally extending portions. The longitudinally extending portions can be connected at joints that interleave projections and recesses of each of the spar portions. The blades can include fan-shaped transitions at a hub attachment portion, formed by laminated layers and/or a combination of laminated layers and transition plates.

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1. A wind turbine system, comprising: a wind turbine blade having an overall length, a radially inner region and a radially outer region, wherein: the inner region includes a hub attachment element, an internal load-bearing truss structure extending longitudinally outwardly from the hub attachment e

1. A wind turbine system, comprising: a wind turbine blade having an overall length, a radially inner region and a radially outer region, wherein: the inner region includes a hub attachment element, an internal load-bearing truss structure extending longitudinally outwardly from the hub attachment element to a point approximately two-thirds of the overall length from the hub attachment element, and an external skin carried by the internal truss structure; andthe outer region is positioned longitudinally outwardly from the internal truss structure, is attached to the internal truss structure, and has an internal load-bearing structure that does not include a load-bearing truss structure, the outer region further including a blade tip. 2. The system of claim 1 wherein the outer region includes a longitudinally extending spar, multiple ribs spaced along the spar, and a portion of the external skin is carried by the spar and the ribs. 3. The system of claim 1 wherein the truss structure of the inner region includes a plurality of longitudinally extending spars, multiple ribs spaced along the spars, and generally straight, slender truss members connected between the spars. 4. The system of claim 1 wherein the outer region has a monocoque structure. 5. The system of claim 1 wherein the outer region has a semi-monocoque structure. 6. The system of claim 1 wherein the truss structure of the inner region includes a first number of longitudinally extending spars, and wherein the outer region includes a second number of longitudinally extending spars, the second number being less than the first number. 7. The system of claim 1 wherein the truss structure of the inner region includes only three longitudinally extending spars, and wherein the outer region includes two longitudinally extending spars. 8. The system of claim 1 wherein the truss structure of the inner region includes a first longitudinally extending spar, and wherein the outer region includes a second longitudinally extending spar, and where the first and second spars extend along a generally smooth, continuous longitudinal axis. 9. The system of claim 1 wherein the inner region includes a first segment and a second segment positioned radially outwardly from the first segment, the first segment having a first spar segment, the second segment having a second spar segment joined to the first spar segment and positioned radially outwardly from the first spar segment. 10. A method for manufacturing a wind turbine blade, comprising: forming a radially inner region of a wind turbine blade to have a load-bearing truss structure, the blade having an overall length, the truss structure extending over approximately the radially inner two-thirds of the overall length;applying a skin to the truss structure;forming a radially outer region of the wind turbine blade to have a non-truss structure; andconnecting the inner region of the wind turbine blade and the outer region of the wind turbine blade to each other. 11. The method of claim 10 wherein forming the radially outer region of the wind turbine blade includes forming the radially outer region of the wind turbine blade to have a monocoque structure. 12. The method of claim 10 wherein forming the radially outer region of the wind turbine blade includes forming the radially outer region of the wind turbine blade to have a semi-monocoque structure. 13. The method of claim 10 wherein forming the radially inner region of the wind turbine blade includes forming a first radially inner segment and a second radially inner segment, and wherein the method further comprises: connecting the first radially inner segment to the second radially inner segment at an installation site;connecting the radially outer region to the second radially inner segment at the installation site to form a radially extending wind turbine blade, with the second radially inner segment positioned between the first radially inner segment and the radially outward region; andmounting the wind turbine blade to a wind turbine hub at the installation site. 14. A method for operating a wind turbine, comprising: rotating a wind turbine shaft carrying multiple wind turbine blades;transmitting loads from an individual wind turbine blade to the shaft via a radially inner region of the blade and a radially outer region of the blade, the radially inner region including an internal load-bearing truss structure that extends over approximately a radially inner two-thirds of an overall length of the individual wind turbine blade, the radially inner region further including an external skin carried by the internal truss structure, the radially outer region including a load-bearing skin positioned around a non-truss structure; andsubjecting the individual wind turbine blade to cyclically varying gravitational loads by rotating the shaft about a generally horizontal axis. 15. The method of claim 14 wherein transmitting loads includes transmitting loads from the outer region of the blade to the shaft via the inner region of the blade. 16. The method of claim 14 wherein transmitting loads includes transmitting loads from the outer region of the blade across a spar joint to the inner region of the blade, and then to the shaft. 17. A wind turbine system, comprising: a wind turbine blade having a leading edge and a trailing edge, the wind turbine blade including a truss structure with: a longitudinally extending first spar positioned toward the leading edge at a chordwise location;a longitudinally extending second spar positioned toward the leading edge and spaced apart from the first spar at approximately the chordwise location;a single, longitudinally extending third spar positioned toward the trailing edge;a plurality of spaced-apart ribs, with individual ribs connected to each of the first, second and third spars;a plurality of truss members connected among the first, second and third spars; andan external skin attached to and carried by the spars, the ribs, or both the spars and the ribs. 18. The system of claim 17 wherein the wind turbine blade includes an inner region having a generally circular hub attachment element, and an outer region positioned longitudinally outwardly from the inner region. 19. The system of claim 17 wherein the first, second and third spars are the only longitudinally extending spars of the wind turbine blade at a given longitudinal location along the truss structure. 20. The system of claim 17 wherein the wind turbine blade has an overall longitudinal length, and wherein the first, second and third spars are the only longitudinally extending spars of the wind turbine blade over a majority of the longitudinal length of the blade. 21. The system of claim 17 wherein the wind turbine blade has an overall longitudinal length, and wherein the first, second and third spars are the only longitudinally extending spars of the wind turbine blade over approximately two thirds of the longitudinal length of the blade. 22. The system of claim 17 wherein the first, second and third spars are the only longitudinally extending spars of the truss structure. 23. The system of claim 17 wherein an individual rib includes a first cut-out positioned to receive the first spar and a second cut-out positioned to receive the second spar. 24. The system of claim 17 wherein an individual rib has first web portion connected to the third spar and positioned forward of the third spar in a chordwise direction, and wherein the individual rib has a second web portion positioned aft of the third spar in the chordwise direction, the first and second web portions being discontinuous. 25. The system of claim 17 wherein the first spar has a first rectangular cross-sectional shape with a first chordwise dimension that is greater than its thickness dimension, and wherein the third spar has a second rectangular cross-sectional shape with a second chordwise dimension that is less than its thickness dimension. 26. The system of claim 17 wherein the first, second and third spars are each formed from a laminate of composite materials. 27. The system of claim 17 wherein a cross-section of the wind turbine blade has a chordwise dimension and a thickness dimension, and wherein the single third spar extends over a majority of the thickness dimension. 28. The system of claim 17 wherein the wind turbine blade is a first wind turbine blade, and wherein the system further comprises: a hub carrying the first wind turbine blade;a second wind turbine blade carried by the hub; anda third wind turbine blade carried by the hub, wherein each of the first, second and third wind turbine blades has only three longitudinally extending, load bearing spars at all portions of the blade having a truss structure. 29. A method for operating a wind turbine, comprising: rotating a wind turbine shaft carrying multiple wind turbine blades; andtransmitting loads from an individual wind turbine blade to the shaft via an internal truss structure of the individual wind turbine blade that includes two longitudinally extending, load bearing spars toward a leading edge of the blade at approximately the same chordwise location and a single longitudinally extending load bearing spar toward a trailing edge of the blade. 30. The method of claim 29 wherein rotating the shaft includes rotating the shaft about a generally horizontal axis, and wherein the method further comprises subjecting the individual wind turbine blade to cyclically varying gravitational loads as the shaft rotates. 31. The method of claim 29 wherein rotating the shaft includes rotating the shaft about a generally horizontal axis, and wherein the method further comprises subjecting the individual wind turbine blade to cyclically varying gravitational loads in a chordwise direction as the shaft rotates. 32. A method for manufacturing a wind turbine blade, comprising: forming a truss structure having only three longitudinally extending spars including a first spar toward a leading edge of the wind turbine blade at a chordwise location, a second spar toward the leading edge of the wind turbine blade at approximately the chordwise location, and a third spar positioned toward a trailing edge of the wind turbine blade;connecting truss members between the longitudinally extending spars;connecting ribs to the longitudinally extending spars; andconnecting an external skin to the ribs, at least one of the spars, or both the ribs and at least one of the spars. 33. The method of claim 32 wherein connecting ribs to the longitudinally extending spars includes receiving the first spar in a first cutout of at least one of the ribs, and receiving the second spar in a second cutout of the at least one rib. 34. The method of claim 32 wherein connecting ribs to the longitudinally extending spars includes connecting a first portion of at least one rib to the third spar so as to extend in a forward chordwise direction, and positioning a second portion of the at least one rib aft of the third spar, the first and second portions being discontinuous from each other. 35. The method of claim 32 wherein forming the truss structure includes forming the truss structure with a single third spar that extends in a thickness direction over a majority of the thickness of the wind turbine blade. 36. A wind turbine system, comprising: a wind turbine blade having a leading edge and a trailing edge, the wind turbine blade including a truss structure with: a longitudinally extending first spar positioned toward the leading edge, the first spar having a first rectangular cross-sectional shape with a first chordwise dimension that is greater than its thickness dimension;a longitudinally extending second spar positioned toward the leading edge and spaced apart from the first spar;a single, longitudinally extending third spar positioned toward the trailing edge, the third spar having a second rectangular cross-sectional shape with a second chordwise dimension that is less than its thickness dimension;a plurality of spaced-apart ribs, with individual ribs connected to each of the first, second and third spars;a plurality of truss members connected among the first, second and third spars; andan external skin attached to and carried by the spars, the ribs, or both the spars and the ribs.