For insurance brands looking to switch long term invesrtment funds from oil or gas, to something more Net Zero like wind turbines, this could be an opportunity;
Development of the world’s most advanced wind turbine blade and drive train testing assets at ORE Catapult’s National Renewable Energy Centre in Blyth, Northumberland, set to deliver major boost to UK growth from offshore wind.
Ambitious plans to keep the UK at the forefront of technology development in offshore wind have been given the green light today, with the announcement that UKRI will provide £85.6m of capital funding for the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult to expand and upgrade its testing facilities and enable the evolution of the next generation of wind turbines in the UK.
The late-stage research and development facilities, designed for the testing of blades up to 150m and drive trains up to 23MW, combined with ORE Catapult’s extensive expertise in test and demonstration, will ensure that turbine manufacturers can accelerate their technology development in the UK with reduced risk and enhanced reliability for a new wave of larger, more efficient machines. Both blade and drive train capabilities will have the capacity for further expansion, to 180m and 28MW respectively, to meet future industry demand.
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 – meaning more of the energy keeping our lights on and heating our homes is from an eco-friendly source. They will also support the growth of UK supply chains, and provide critical research infrastructure to support inward investment into the UK wind industry. They will also create 30 new jobs in Blyth and support 5 PhDs a year.
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