The Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult has been given permission to extend the operational lifetime of its 7MW Levenmouth demonstration turbine in Fife, Scotland.
The Scottish government has approved a request to keep the Samsung machine operational until at least 2029.
The turbine has been used by more than 50 UK companies to develop, demonstrate and validate new products since installation in 2014.
Catapult said the total value of projects currently using the machine tops £11m.
The Scottish government is providing an extra £685,000 in funding to allow SMEs to demonstrate new technologies using the turbine.
ORE Catapult chief executive Andrew Jamieson said: “This consent extension is really welcome news for the UK’s offshore wind industry.”
“Accessing real-world operational sites to test and demonstrate new products and services can be a real barrier to small companies looking to break into the offshore wind market.”
Photo: The Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult
Catapult extends Levenmouth life
By EBS