The Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult has outlined its ambition to improve the wind turbine blade designs of the future with investment in a prototype blade manufacturing facility. Over two days last month, the inspect-and-repair robot repeatedly scaled blades at the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult’s 7MW Levenmouth Demonstration turbine . The Demonstrator site will be locally managed by ORE Catapult’s National Renewable Energy Centre in Blyth. I’ve got data coming out of my ears! We work closely with partners from across industry and the research community, using and investing in our world-leading test and demonstration facilities. ORE Catapult has extensive experience of operating and maintaining offshore wind turbines through its ownership of the 7MW Levenmouth Demonstration Turbine in Fife, Scotland. These costs have traditionally been a primary area of concern for offshore operators, as sea conditions and faster tip speeds can lead to significant blade damage over time. We work with Owner/Operators, OEMs and Tier 1 supply chain – convening the sector, and reducing the cost and risk of technology development and operations. Robot team set sail for offshore wind farm inspection The Additive Manufacturing for Wind Blades project will install an advanced manufacturing cell at ORE Catapult’s National Renewable Energy Centre in Blyth, capable of proving technologies which can reduce blade manufacturing costs, increase production speeds and explore the potential for new materials with a reduced environmental impact. The robot is being developed under a £1m collaboration project between start-up BladeBUG and ORE Catapult, part funded by Innovate UK. ORE Catapult plans 3D wind turbine blade printing. The facility will also allow the rapid production of prototype blade enhancements such as vortex generators and edge erosion protection systems. Addressing the latest research and disruptive technology for the offshore renewable energy sector. How to make myself useful, fast. A six-legged robot has undertaken the world’s first ‘blade walk’ by a machine on an offshore wind turbine off the coast of Fife. ORE Catapult has extensive experience of operating and maintaining offshore wind turbines through its ownership of the 7MW Levenmouth Demonstration Turbine in Fife, Scotland. Accelerating the creation and growth of UK companies in the offshore renewables sector to drive innovation and commercialisation. ORE Catapult, Advance Northumberland are preparing a planning application. The UK’s Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult will invest in a prototype blade manufacturing facility that uses additive manufacturing... Read More. The low-cost agile nature of this process is a game changer for the Catapult blades team, who will work with innovators to rapidly develop new and more sustainable designs for our booming sector.”, Ben Wood, Founder of UK wind turbine aerodynamics specialists Anakata, commented: “As we look to drive ever-more efficient performance and reliability from wind turbine blades, so we need to continually strive for improved materials, design and manufacture. clean-power; generation; international; renewables; utility … For next-generation turbines, ORE Catapult predicts the cost savings could reach as much as 50 percent. The EchoBolt technology is the brainchild of Peter Andrews, founder of UK company Energy Integrity Services. Our unique facilities, research and engineering capabilities bring together industry and academia and drive innovation. New Perspectives: Wind Turbines and Data Science Published 24 June 2020. by Edward Anderson, Data Scientist, ORE Catapult. Find out more about our response to COVID-19 and how we are working to provide an environment that will support our project partners and customers remotely in these unprecedented and uncertain times. Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult, UK-based innovation center for offshore renewable energy, is looking to lower costs and speed up the production of the wind turbine blade designs of the future with investment in a prototype blade manufacturing facility. Since 2016, the LDT, has attracted over a hundred SMEs for technology development, testing or demonstration. ORE Catapult plans to use the facility to directly support UK supply chain development to “accelerate new and innovative prototype blade designs” for application in the wind industry, as well as forging further ties with key players in industry, such as original equipment manufacturers and academia. Next-Generation turbines, ORE Catapult have predicted the cost savings could reach as much as 50 percent with the ’... 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