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Image Credit: ORE Catapult
The Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult has obtained a substantial investment of approximately £85.6 million from the government-backed UK Research and Innovation to enhance its wind turbine testing site in Northumberland. This significant financial infusion will allow for testing longer wind turbine blades and more robust drivetrains at the Blyth facility.
"This investment in truly world-leading capability will keep the UK at the forefront of offshore wind technology development," said Andrew Jamieson, chief executive of ORE Catapult. "It will enable ORE Catapult to continue to deliver the most advanced research and development infrastructure and expertise to the offshore wind industry, capturing the jobs and economic growth from the transition to a net zero economy".
Designed to push the boundaries of wind turbine technology, the allocated funds will be used to construct a new facility section capable of evaluating turbine blades up to 150 meters in length, with provisions for possibly extending this capacity to 180 meters in the foreseeable future.
Additionally, the funding will enhance existing capabilities, enabling the Blyth site to handle drivetrain testing for turbines up to 23MW, with prospects of accommodating units up to 28MW.
The Blyth facility can test drivetrains up to 15MW and blades measuring up to 100 meters. The expected advancements from this funding will enhance testing capacities and mitigate around 2.5 million tonnes of CO2 emissions by expediting turbine deployment by at least eight months.
The expansion is also anticipated to generate 30 new local jobs and support the academic and professional growth of five PhD candidates annually.
Expressing his support, Science, Research, and Innovation Minister Andrew Griffith emphasised that the investment is a strategic move to bolster job creation and economic growth and fortify the UK's position in energy security.
"Our £86m funding will create highly skilled and highly paid new jobs that grow the north-east and wider UK economies," he said. "It will also bring in investment by marking our country as a leader in technologies of the future as well as a global capital for wind power. At the same time, this innovation will strengthen the UK's energy security in an uncertain world and help us pivot towards the cleaner energy that can preserve our planet for generations to come."
Furthermore, the government highlighted that the facility's expansion is set to accommodate the testing of existing giant wind turbine blades and those under development that are expected to be operational soon.
In related developments, the Scottish Offshore Wind Ports Alliance (SOWPA) has launched a significant initiative. This collaboration, involving major ports across Scotland, aims to expedite the development of essential infrastructure to bolster the country's rapidly growing offshore wind sector.
Iain Sinclair, executive director at Global Energy Group, one of the members of the new group, said: "It is widely recognised that ports have a critical enabling role in the industrialisation and deployment of offshore wind in the UK. Today's announcement demonstrates that ports are motivated to take the initiative, work proactively and diligently together, and align with the whole offshore wind ecosystem to maximise the localisation of the supply chain requirements.
"SOWPA's collective capability, knowledge and expertise is a world leading value proposition. We have a willingness and appetite to enhance our competitiveness, address supply chain challenges and deliver against Scotland and the UK's offshore wind ambitions."
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