Cleantech company 2-B Energy has joined forces with Scottish Enterprise to commercialize 2-B's two-bladed offshore turbine concept. The organizations will develop offshore test and demonstration facilities in Scotland, potentially by the end of 2014.
According to 2-B, two-bladed wind turbines have the potential to become more cost-effective than traditional three-bladed horizontal-axis onshore wind turbines that are currently being deployed offshore, because they reduce the number of components required throughout the lifetime of the turbine.
The Scottish European Green Energy Centre has supported 2-B's application for European funding, through the EU Framework Programme 7, for development of the company's technology and offshore demonstration in Scotland.
This project is targeted for development at the Scottish Enterprise-owned Fife Energy Park in Methil, where 2-B Energy's focus has shifted from a single-near-shore unit to two units offshore in a broader project. The project will be part of a test and demonstration hub of activity that will accommodate a range of potential interests in the Scottish offshore wind sector.
