Clipper Windpower Marine Ltd., a fully owned subsidiary of Clipper Windpower Inc., has announced the ground breaking of its offshore wind turbine blade manufacturing facility in Tyne, U.K.
The new factory is expected to be completed in the third quarter of this year. The site is owned by the city of Newcastle and is being developed by Shepherd Offshore Services.
The factory will be used to develop and build blades for the Britannia Project, a 10 MW offshore wind turbine prototype under development by Clipper. The prototype is scheduled for deployment in late 2012. The blades will be 72 meters long and weigh over 30 tons.
‘Over the next few years, with the development of the Britannia turbine, the U.K. will benefit through the supply of electricity based on its abundant offshore wind energy resource, and also with economic activity related to turbine manufacturing, offshore installation, and long-term operations and servicing,’ says James G.P. Dehlsen, chairman of Clipper.
A Department of Energy and Climate Change grant was awarded to Clipper in September 2009. The grant is intended to accelerate the development and demonstration of offshore wind technologies and components for multi-megawatt turbines. Accordingly, the grant will contribute to some of the costs associated with the development of the Britannia offshore wind turbine blade and factory.
SOURCE: Clipper Windpower PLC
