UK: Installation on Track for 15 MW Wind Turbine Test Rig

Installation is on track for 15 megawatt wind turbine test rig. Open-access facility should encourage investment in step-up offshore wind turbine technologies sooner.

Inside a new 3000 square metre hall, operations are underway to build one of the world’s largest facilities for the accelerated life testing of offshore wind turbines. Due to its scale the assembly of the 15 megawatt (MW) capacity test rig is being done in three phase onsite: Permanent Magnet Motor (PMM), Force Application System (FAS) and support systems.  Two 250 tonne capacity cranes have been installed in the hall and components already delivered to the site include a 6m diameter motor rotor drum, which weighs 120 tonnes.

The rig is on schedule to be available for the arrival of a commissioning turbine nacelle in the summer. It will be an open access facility; open to all turbine developers on a commercial basis and will be able to test turbines up to 10 MW at up to 50% over power. Narec expects to use it initially to test prototype and early development models currently available in the 4-7MW class, and then for the next generation of 8-10MW machines.

Andrew Mill, Chief Executive, at Narec said: “To fulfil its long-term ambitions the offshore wind industry recognises that it must continue to innovate to reduce the unit price of electricity generated. This requires the development of larger, more reliable turbines and this facility will get new technologies ready for deployment offshore more quickly, ironing out any problems in a controlled, low risk and confidential environment.”

To support the improved development of new offshore turbines, and to help improve the UK supply chain, the Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) is investing more than £25 million in the design and build of the test rig at Narec. The ETI, a partnership between global energy and engineering companies and the UK Government, has commissioned and funded GE Energy – Power Conversion and MTS Systems Corporation to design, develop and install the 15MW capacity test rig.

Andrew Scott, Offshore Wind Programme Manager, at the ETI said: “This facility will recreate the full dynamics of wind on turbine drive trains.  Testing the performance of new drive trains at full-scale, before serial production, helps to improve their reliability, reduces risk and accelerates offshore deployment. It should also encourage market competition which further reduces the cost of offshore wind energy and has been designed to accommodate the projected growth in turbine size over its designed 20 year life.”

Narec is currently in commercial discussions with turbine manufacturers interested in becoming the commissioning partner for the new facility.

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Press release, February 1, 2013; Image: Narec