Fife’s role as an industrial test bed for innovative offshore wind turbine systems is set for a major boost.
The region’s Energy Park at Methil is already home to Samsung Heavy Industries’ 7MW test turbine, and the Crown Estate which manages the seabed around the UK yesterday gave permission for a further two 185-metre tall demonstration devices to be installed overlooking the town in the Forth Estuary.
Huub den Rooijen, head of offshore wind at the Crown Estate, said the new test turbine which is being developed by Dutch firm 2-B Energy had the potential to drive down costs and make offshore wind a more competitive energy alternative.
“In order to fully unlock the potential of offshore wind over the long term, it is vital that opportunities are made available to test and demonstrate innovative and emerging technology platforms to bring down costs and secure the UK’s position as a global leader in offshore wind technology,” he said.
“As such, we are pleased to have concluded an agreement for lease with 2-B Energy, and look forward with interest to seeing the technology mature.”
The turbine features a revolutionary two-blade rotor rather than the conventional three-blade design which is already commercially deployed around the world.
It is 6MW rated, making it one of the most powerful units in the world, but has been designed with fewer components than its rivals with a view to lowering operational and maintenance costs on long-term deployment.
The device also features an integrated heli-deck, and a lattice steelwork structure rather than a single tubular tower.
The UK Department of Energy and Climate Change has given grant support to 2-B’s development programme, and the company has also received investment from the Scottish Investment Bank to further its research.
The long-term plan is to establish a full-scale onshore prototype at Eemshaven Harbour in the Netherlands before moving to the in-water programme at a test bed around one mile off Methil in 2016, subject to full planning consents being obtained.
Mikael Jakobsson, chief operating officer for 2-B Energy, said the granting of test-bed approvals by the Crown Estate was a milestone for the firm.
“We will continue to work closely with the Crown Estate to implement our strategy for the demonstration of our innovative offshore wind technology,” he said.
“We have reached an exciting point in the development of our company, and the Methil project will be a significant step forward along our pathway to commercialisation.
“We hope that through this offshore development and demonstration step, and following the completion of our first on-shore demonstrator in early 2015, to be able to validate significant cost reductions in future offshore wind deployment.”
In 2012, First Minister Alex Salmond hailed 2-B Energy’s turbine development plans as “innovative and exciting” and said he was pleased the firm was working with the Aberdeen-based Scottish European Green Energy Centre to access European funding for the development project.
At the time, Mr Salmond said 2-B’s decision to develop its technology in Fife was evidence that Scotland offered the “optimum business and natural environment for clean-tech developers to pursue their ambitions”.