GE Renewable Energy’s Haliade-X 12MW wind turbine is to be shipped to the UK to be extensively tested to enhance its performance ahead of production in 2021.
The nacelle and blade will be transported from GE’s factory in in Saint-Nazaire and Cherbourg in France to ORE Catapult’s testing facilities in Blyth in north-east England in the coming months.
The Haliade-X 12MW nacelle will undergo a programme that will replicate real-world operational conditions to reduce the time required to validate performance and reliability.
In addition, the 107-metre LM Wind Power blade will undergo a full range of advanced testing, including static and fatigue, to fully demonstrate the blade’s ability to withstand peak wind conditions and to simulate the blade’s robustness for years of operation at sea.
GE Renewable Energy is investing close to £15m (€17m) in testing and research and development activities on Haliade-X mostly in the UK.
GE Offshore Wind president John Lavelle said: “We want to bring the most powerful offshore wind turbine to the world’s largest offshore wind market and contribute with our technology to support the UK’s Offshore Wind Sector Deal goal, and UK Government’s ambition to work for greenhouse emission reduction to “net-zero” by 2050.
“The extensive experience across the UK offshore wind industry provides us with the opportunity to partner with various institutions, such as ORE Catapult, that allow us to test our technology while fostering competitiveness and partner with local supply chain players that want to innovate with us and be part of the UK’s offshore wind momentum.”
GE and ORE Catapult are also developing the “Stay Ashore!” programme, which aims to reduce the time people spend at sea, increasing safety and contributing to energy cost reduction by focusing on developing technology in robotics, digital and remote operations.