UK: Investment to Boost Offshore Wind Development

Researchers at the University of Strathclyde will help Scotland to meet its ambitious renewable energy targets by improving the performance of offshore wind farms, following investment from Scottish Enterprise.

The funding has helped to secure a new experimental rig facility to test offshore wind condition monitoring technologies, allowing researchers to develop innovative techniques to improve the availability of offshore wind farms and reduce the need for expensive, reactive maintenance.

The new facility, based at the University’s £2.6 million Centre for Advanced Condition Monitoring, will initially focus on technology to monitor the condition of offshore gearboxes, including advanced remote sensors to detect how they are being affected by extreme wind conditions.

Professor Scott MacGregor, Dean of the University’s Faculty of Engineering, said: “The Centre for Advanced Condition Monitoring is geared to play an important role in helping to meet renewable energy targets for Scotland and will provide cost effective technology that maximises the potential of offshore installations.

“This investment from Scottish Enterprise is a fantastic boost for the centre and will allow researchers at Strathclyde to lead the way, collaborating with industry to enhance Scotland’s reputation as world leader in renewable energy.”

The Centre for Advanced Condition Monitoring is part of the Scottish Energy Laboratory that was launched to strengthen collaboration across Scotland’s key test and demonstration facilities.

This network of facilities has a combined investment value of £250 million across all key energy sectors and will be a hub for national and international companies to identify and access the most appropriate of Scotland’s test and demonstration facilities for their technologies.

Estimates suggest by 2050, offshore wind could be worth £65 billion to the UK and could support hundreds of thousands of jobs.

 Neil Francis, Scottish Enterprise Senior Director for Technology and Sector Delivery, said: “The development of the offshore wind sector is widely recognised as one of the biggest opportunities for sustained economic growth in Scotland for a generation. Innovation across all aspects of the industry is needed in order to realise its full economic potential.

 “Supporting this offshore renewable energy project will help to increase Scotland’s R&D capacity and capability in Condition Monitoring and the development of integrated solutions for offshore operations and maintenance. In addition, as the facilities at the Centre for Advanced Condition Monitoring forms part of the Scottish Energy Lab offering, this investment will also expand the range of research services it offers to Scottish SMEs.

 “We are fully committed to positioning Scotland as a leading location for renewable energy, in particular, offshore wind development, and this project contributes to our wider efforts to fulfil this ambition as well as helping to meet the Scottish Government’s ambitious low carbon targets.”

The Centre for Advanced Condition Monitoring is expected to set new standards in offshore wind technology condition monitoring design and development. It will draw on expertise from internationally renowned companies and the University’s Faculty of Engineering, which is home to research expertise unrivalled in the UK.

The Centre’s test facility will also become part of the University’s new £89 million Technology and Innovation Centre – a world-leading research centre bringing together academics and industrialists in the heart of Glasgow.

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Offshore WIND staff, July 25, 2012; Image: scottish-enterprise