What's New in the Windfair World - £1m awarded to Blade Dynamics for Advanced Blade Tip development project

The performance of offshore wind turbine blades in their challenging operating environment is one of the critical issues in energy cost, reliability and safety. Costs associated with repairing blades are extremely high and time consuming, causing significant operating losses due to downtime and having a significant detrimental effect on the cost of energy generated. .

Blade Dynamics have created a new and highly innovative ‘Advanced Blade Tip’, which improves the critical outer third of a wind turbine blade. This high performance tip is designed to integrate into standard wind turbine blades, creating a ‘hybrid blade’ that upgrades performance whilst using existing manufacturing infrastructure. It features built-in leading edge erosion protection, has a highly accurate aerodynamic profile to enhance energy generation, is lightweight to reduce turbine loads and to allow blades to be extended in length and has an innovative lightning protection system. The Advanced Blade Tip both enhances the performance of offshore wind turbines, increasing Annual Energy Production (AEP), and reduces costs incurred through expensive downtime due to blade deterioration and the current need for frequent maintenance.

The project will refine, demonstrate and test the manufacturing technologies used in the tip solution as well as optimise the design of the interface between the tip and the rest of the blade.

Theo Botha, Blade Dynamics co-founder said:

"This is an exciting new technology development that can substantially reduce the long term cost of energy from offshore wind turbines and the company is proud and thankful to be supported by GROW:OffshoreWind in this work.

The project is a great example of funding being provided for technologies that can have a substantial positive impact on the British economy and environment by nurturing sustainable, knowledge based, domestic manufacturing in the vitally important offshore wind energy sector.

The outer portion of a blade produces most of the energy and the technology allows these high value blade tips to be exported from the UK and deployed on offshore wind turbines globally as well as in the domestic market."

The project is a great example of funding being provided for technologies that can have a substantial positive impact on the British economy and environment by nurturing sustainable, knowledge based, domestic manufacturing in the vitally important offshore wind energy sector.

The outer portion of a blade produces most of the energy and the technology allows these high value blade tips to be exported from the UK and deployed on offshore wind turbines globally as well as in the domestic market."

Dominic Brown, CEO GROW:OffshoreWind said

"We are delighted to support Blade Dynamics in making these important technology innovations for offshore wind turbine blades.

The successful delivery of this project will provide a route for substantial financial benefits to both the purchasers of wind turbines and manufacturers, through increased blade life and significantly reduced maintenance costs, as well as a reduction in the cost of energy from offshore wind farms.

This is a significant project and one of a number now supported by GROW to assist with supply chain development and address the cost challenges faced by the industry. We look forward to it’s successful completion and to many more like it in the future."

About GROW:OffshoreWind and partners

GROW:OffshoreWind is supported by the Government’s Regional Growth Fund, working to help English companies win contracts and create employment in the offshore wind supply chain, and delivered by industry experts from the Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS), RenewableUK (RUK), Grant Thornton and the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre.

RenewableUK brings unrivalled offshore wind sector insight, knowledge and industry contacts. This influence is encapsulated by RUK’s Supply Chain Strategy Group, which has representation from the offshore wind turbine OEMs together with significant lower tier suppliers.

The Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN) is an independent company established by Innovate UK (formerly the Technology Strategy Board) to enhance the development and commercialisation of UK innovations critical in sustaining its global innovation leadership and economic competitiveness.

The Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult is a technology innovation and knowledge centre. By combining world-class research, development, demonstration and testing facilities with leadership, industrial reach and engineering expertise, it helps to accelerate the design, deployment and commercialisation of renewable energy technology innovation.

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