Samsung's prototype 7 MW offshore wind turbine was delivered this week to the National Renewable Energy Centre's (Narec) new test facilities in Blyth, Northumberland, U.K.
Initially, Samsung's nacelle will be used to commission Narec's independent 15 MW-capacity test facility before a six-month testing program begins on the nacelle. During the test program, some of the harshest climatic conditions will be simulated within the Narec facility, including wind gusts of up to 150 mph, to ensure any performance issues can be identified and rectified before the technology is deployed offshore.
The 15 MW test facility opened earlier this summer and has been designed to support the industry's drive to make offshore wind power generation more competitive with other energy sources through up-scaling the technology and reducing the costs associated with at-sea failures.
The Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) has invested 25 million British pounds in the facility through the design, development and commissioning of the indoor test rig by GE Energy-Power Conversion and MTS Systems Corp. The ETI is a public-private partnership between global energy and engineering companies and the U.K. government.
