Narec - Narec is increasingly recognised as the national centre for the UK dedicated to accelerating the deployment and grid integration of renewable energy and low carbon generation technologies, utilising offshore wind, wave, tidal, solar PV and thermal power.

Offshore Wind Test Site

The Offshore Wind Test Site project commenced in March 2010 and has an initial first phase construction stage up to March 2012, with project monitoring until 2017.

The construction of an offshore wind testing facility will be a unique global asset to test offshore wind prototype turbines for industry based off the coast of Britain. Narec plans to develop a 100MW grid connected offshore wind demonstration platform in the North Sea with the capacity to accommodate up to 20 large-scale prototypes. Tenants will utilise the facility to deploy their prototype or demonstration turbines and foundations.

With the creation of the facility, the UK and Narec will be firmly established as a global test centre for wind energy technologies. Narec already operates a number of globally significant research facilities but the importance of a ‘one-stop shop’ for research, design, onshore component testing and offshore testing deployment systems has been widely recognised and will ultimately be facilitated by this project.

The project is funded by the Department of Energy and Climate Change and Department of Business Innovation and Skills with £15,000,000 investment through regional development agency One North East.

Deliverables:

The site complements the range of facilities already offered by Narec to the renewable energy industry and will provide a boost to the local economy. The facility will be a strong incentive to encourage inward investment into the North East region with several international turbine manufacturers already expressing an interest in utilising the test site.

This will allow the project to work towards completion of a number of outputs and results focusing on provision of assistance to regional companies to enter the supply chain and/or access the facility for testing purposes.

Key Achievements To Date:

Under the construction and development phase, the project success to date has included:

• On 05 August 2010 an Agreement for Lease from The Crown Estate for the facility was received.
• The jack-up vessel Goliath has completed geotechnical investigations for the anemometry mast location on the site of the proposed facility off Blyth, Northumberland.
• As of August 2011 design work for the Offshore platform is in development. Detailed design work continues with orders and deliveries for the environmental monitoring equipment and steelwork continuing during August 2011. Fabrication works are taking place with the main structure of the platform tower due for construction in September 2011.

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Solutions for Business ONE North East ERDF European Regional Development Funding Department of Energy and Climate Change Department for Business Innovation and Skills