The Crown Estate has entered into an agreement with Forthwind, a subsidiary of 2-B Energy for U.K.’s first offshore demonstration of two-bladed wind turbines on the seabed at Methil in Scotland, consisting of two full scale units.
The offshore deployment of these 6 MW turbines will be the first in the world of their kind with two-bladed designs at this scale being a major innovation.
2-B Energy has received support from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and investment by the Scottish Investment Bank to develop a full-scale onshore sample in the Netherlands, which are anticipated for deployment in 2016.
In order to trap the potential of offshore wind over the long term, it is important that opportunities are made available to demonstrate emerging technology platforms to bring down costs and secure the U.K.’s position as a global leader in offshore wind technology, noted, Huub den Rooijen, head of Offshore Wind, The Crown Estate.
In addition, 2-B Energy are exploring ways to reduce costs by integrating wind turbine technology with grid as well as access system innovations, the installation process and a new operational strategy.
Through this offshore development and demonstration step in addition to the completion of first on-shore demonstrator in 2015, it will be able to validate significant cost reductions in future offshore wind deployment, says, Mikael Jakobsson, chief operating officer, 2-B Energy.
According to Crown Estate, this project will add to its current portfolio of test and demonstration activity in which Scotland is taking a leading role, including Samsung’s 7 MW prototype turbine off the coast of Methil and its existing agreement with Statoil for the U.K.’s first floating wind farm off the coast of Peterhead, Aberdeenshire.