Blade protection specialist Edge Solutions has secured two orders for its Armour Edge blade protection system at offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea and the southern North Sea.
The latest deals follow the successful trial application of Edge Solutions’ custom-made erosion shields with the same operators at undisclosed sites in 2020 and 2021.
The installations will be carried out this summer by trained technicians using the ultra-durable shields which have a predicted lifespan of more than 20 years, with each shield formed to fit the installed Siemens 3.6-120 and Senvion 6.2M126 offshore wind turbines
Edge Solutions managing director David Urch (pictured) said: “These latest orders are a great validation for our product which has now been operational through two tough winters.
“We are now seeing repeat orders delivering significant revenue momentum and each new installation gives us increasing confidence in the ease of application of our system, resulting in less downtime for operators.
“Feedback from customers is allowing us to further improve the system with end-to-end flush joints which will further simplify application and enhance performance, and we are now seeing increasing interest from customers in Europe, Asia and the US.”
The Armour Edge shields have been developed using a bespoke version of INEOS’s ultra-tough Luran SC thermoplastic material, created specifically for wind turbine blades.
Each Armour Edge shield is up to one metre long and is custom formed to the exact blade type and then bonded into place by trained technicians.
It is designed to allow rapid installation which results in less downtime and improved profitability for wind farm owners.
A recent study by ORE Catapult predicted the shields would have an operational lifetime in excess of 50 years.
In September last year Edge Solutions secured £700,000 to roll out Armour Edge worldwide.