Ming Yang Smart Energy has signed its first testing agreement with the UK’s Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult to validate the main bearing for its 18.5MW offshore wind turbine.
Under the contract, the test piece will arrive at ORE Catapult’s National Renewable Energy Centre in Blyth, Northumberland, in the coming months and will be tested under simulated real-world offshore conditions.
The partnership builds on ORE Catapult’s long-standing experience in testing and validating new offshore wind technologies that have supported the UK’s rapid industry growth.
ORE Catapult chief executive Steve Foxley said: “Offshore wind will play a central role in the UK’s journey to delivering Clean Power 2030 and to achieving Net Zero in the years beyond.
“Today’s announcement highlights one of the many vital roles ORE Catapult plays in supporting that transition – providing independent validation of quality and reliability, helping developers and the wider sector make informed choices.”
Ming Yang vice president for engineering and technology Europe Marc Sala said: “For Ming Yang, this partnership with ORE Catapult is a major milestone in our strategic push into the UK market and marks a decisive breakthrough for our local operations.
“By partnering with ORE Catapult’s world-leading test facilities, we will bring our 18.5MW offshore turbine to the UK-and wider international markets-quickly and with proven reliability, further strengthening our global leadership in high-end wind technology.”