GEV Group has announced that a prototype of its turbine maintenance structure is now complete and ready for field trials.
The structure is an inflatable habitat for servicing wind turbine blades, which has been developed to drive down the costs of O&M since it will will dramatically reduce the number of cancelled ‘down’ days which currently blight the industry.
“Our new offshore habitat structure will mitigate the weather risk and enable engineers, once on-site, to work unhindered in a controlled environment,” David Fletcher, managing director of the GEV Group said in November, when the structure was launched.
Following field trials, GEV will look to partner with turbine manufacturers with an aim to include the habitat structure as an integral element of next generation turbines.
According to Mr Fletcher, the structure has the potential to transform offshore wind maintenance operations.
Offshore WIND Staff; Image: GEV Group