A new blade testing centre in north-east England is allowing essential safety and certification tests on a new generation of large blades to be developed for the offshore wind industry.
New wind turbine blade testing facility boosts UK renewable energy industry
- 25 November 2013
The project to build a national blade test facility was developed after the Northumberland-based National Renewable Energy Centre (NAREC) identified a significant infrastructure gap in the UK for the safety testing of large wind turbine blades. NAREC’s Blyth site already contained a facility capable of testing blades up to 40 metres in length, but as offshore turbines become larger, the decision was taken to build a new facility that could test blades up to 100 m in length.
Completed in 2012, the new building and equipment provides an independent test facility where wind turbine blade developers are able to test the structural integrity of prototype and production blades. The new facility has the potential to accelerate the development and testing of new blade designs and components onshore, allowing manufacturers the opportunity to improve efficiency and reliability before committing to costly and high risk testing offshore.
Project manager Dean Goodwin said that, while some wind turbine manufacturers in the UK have their own testing facilities in the UK or abroad, a significant number did not and rely on independent test facilities to support their development plans. As the blades for offshore turbines become larger, it was likely that demand for testing facilities capable of testing blades of 70 m or 80 m would grow in the coming years.
Promoting excellence in renewable energy
The new test centre is one of a number of investments made in recent years with the aim of creating a low carbon economy in the north-east of England. The facility is also in line with policies which aim to develop the region’s engineering capacity and expertise to create sustainable economic growth and employment as well as being in line with an aim of establishing the north-east of England as a centre of excellence in the research, development and commercialisation of new and renewable energy technologies.
It is estimated that up to 115 regional businesses could benefit from the business diversification and knowledge transfer opportunities provided by the project.
The test facility will also place the region’s ports at the centre of a large investment creating economic growth for blade manufacturing, development, operation, maintenance and installation.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “National Blade Test Facility (Blyth – Wind Turbine Blades Testing Facility)” was EUR 22 923 866, with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 5 551 524 through the Operational Programme “North-East England” for the 2007-2013 programming period with the aim of promoting competitiveness as well as smart, inclusive and sustainable growth. The national contribution was GBP 14 849 319 (EUR 17 404 398).