Greenlight for ORE expansion in Blyth

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Offshore wind turbine manufacturers will be able to accelerate their technology development following approval for the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult to expand and upgrade its testing facilities.

Larger turbines mean longer blades, taller towers, and greater forces acting on every component
Larger turbines mean longer blades, taller towers, and greater forces acting on every component - AdobeStock

To that end, UKRI is providing £85.6m of capital funding for the late-stage research and development facilities that will be able to test blades up to 150m and drive trains up to 23MW. Both blade and drive train capabilities will have the capacity for further expansion, to 180m and 28MW respectively, to meet future industry demand.

According to ORE, the new facilities will enable faster product development of turbines through test, validation and certification and are expected to prevent 2.5 million tonnes of CO2 emissions by accelerating deployment by a minimum of eight-months.

They will also support the growth of UK supply chains, and provide research infrastructure to support inward investment into the UK wind industry. They will also create 30 new jobs in Blyth and support five  PhDs a year.

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In a statement, Dr Adam Staines, UKRI Infrastructure Portfolio director, said: “The project in Blyth demonstrates that investment in the right infrastructure can reduce CO2, support greater energy independence and drive economic benefits that build world-class places to live and work, as well. Working across UKRI with Innovate UK’s Catapult Network and the wider supply chain will help achieve these crucial objectives.”

Designs are said to be well advanced with a view to commencing construction soon at the Catapult’s National Renewable Energy Centre in Blyth of the new blade testing facility, alongside the existing 100m blade test hall, and the major upgrade to its 15MW drive train test facility. Both are expected to be fully commissioned by 2028.

Dan McGrail, RenewableUK CEO, said: “Last month we launched an Industrial Growth Plan for offshore wind which shows how proactively focussing on high-value components such as blades will boost the UK’s economy by £25bn and support an extra 10,000 jobs over the next ten years.

“We have an excellent opportunity to build up new offshore wind supply chains, and the cutting-edge work being done by our colleagues at ORE Catapult will help us to achieve this.”

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