A DUTCH FIRM developing wind turbines, which is backed by Dublin-based Mainstream Renewable Power, has received permission to trial its massive new two-blade 6-megawatt vertical axis wind turbine off the coast of Fife in Scotland.
The Scottish government and the UK’s Crown Estate, which owns the rights to develop offshore wind farms, have provided 2-B Energy with a site so that new technologies which help to reduce the cost of offshore wind turbines can be trialled. Mainstream invested €1 million in 2-B Energy in 2008.
The company’s turbine has a jacket foundation pre-fixed to the base, which is expected to significantly reduce the installation cost. It has also adapted the nacelle and electrical components to make them more durable, while the larger turbine size increases efficiency.
“Innovative companies deciding to test their new ideas in Scotland is further evidence of our reputation as a place to develop and deploy all forms of new green energy technologies,” said Scottish energy minister Fergus Ewing.
Experts such as Irishman Seamus Garvey, Professor of Dynamics at the University of Nottingham, believe that radical new turbine designs, ideally with a means of energy storage, are the key to making offshore wind energy more efficient.
