ORE Catapult, Bladena to Trial Blade Reinforcement Tech

The Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult has signed an agreement with Bladena to test blade reinforcement technology designed to extend the operational life of offshore wind turbines.

The full-scale testing programme at ORE Catapult’s National Renewable Energy Centre in Blyth, the UK, will use an 88-metre blade to carry out full-scale torsional load tests, said to be the first of its kind conducted by ORE Catapult and understood to be an industry first.

It will be used to show how Bladena’s reinforcement technology performs under the twisting forces it could experience at sea.

“We’re excited to be carrying out this testing with colleagues from Bladena, to examine how we can aid learning of how to better monitor turbine blades as they age through their operational life, with the hope of being able to inform the development of technological solutions across the sector,” said Matthew Hadden, Chief Blade Engineer at ORE Catapult.

ORE Catapult will be developing a test methodology for this programme. Findings could potentially guide industry-wide efforts to improve turbine reliability and reduce lifecycle costs.

“Testing our technology at ORE Catapult’s world-class facility is a significant milestone in extending turbine lifespans. Stronger blades mean lower costs and more power, and by improving how they withstand stress over time, we can ensure more reliable performance in offshore environments,” said Find Mølholt Jensen, CTO and Founder of Bladena.

In terms of other recent news from ORE Catapult, the company signed a contract to provide testing and validation of the main bearing for Mingyang Smart Energy’s 18.5 MW offshore wind turbine.