Posted 25.02.10
Andrew Mill, CEO of Narec, responds to the announcement by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) of an £18.5 million grant to fund an offshore wind test site at Narec in Blyth, Northumberland:
“We very much welcome this funding award and the continued support we have received from Central Government and Regional Development Agency, One North East, which is creating a national hub in North East England for the development of offshore wind technologies.
“Today’s announcement will enable Narec to progress with our plans to deliver a 100MW grid connected offshore demonstration platform, with the capacity to accommodate up to 20 large-scale prototypes.
“The facility will be unique in global R&D terms, enabling manufacturers and wind farm developers to identify best practice approaches across the supply chain for the development, deployment and O&M of new turbine technologies, which will be most pertinent to the Crown Estate Round 3 Programme. It will complement our existing test capabilities and the planned expansion of major component testing facilities, offering the industry a truly world class offering for the proving out of technologies in next generation machines.
“The support for the project is further recognition of the significant steps made by Narec over the last 5 years, working with global turbine, blade and electrical infrastructure manufacturers on their large turbine, blade and associated equipment development programs. It represents a huge boost to the credentials and ambitions of UK plc, now primed to lead the world and optimise the economic benefits for the UK from the expansion of the sector.
“Today’s news of the MOU signed between BIS and Mitsubishi Power Systems Europe (MPSE) is further testament to the commitment of the UK Government to realise a UK offshore wind industry. Narec welcomes this investment and looks forward to working with MPSE on their R&D programme.”
Ian Williams, Director of Business and Industry at One North East, said:
"We are delighted the Government has chosen to support this groundbreaking project.
"Narec is supporting the Agency and our many partners to attract global companies to our region and this further investment develops further our comprehensive innovation and test offer for the global offshore wind industry.
"One North East has been investing in this new market for almost a decade now. Through national investments like this, and the plans Clipper announced last week to create hundreds of jobs on the Tyne, the region is now beginning to reap the rewards of this dynamic new industry."
Posted 18.02.10
Andrew Mill, CEO of Narec, technology advisor to the Crown Estate and providers of R&D, consultancy, test and demonstration facilities for the renewable and electrical power sector, applauded today’s announcement by Clipper Windpower to begin manufacture of blades for the Britannia Offshore Turbine at the Shepherd Offshore Technology Park on the River Tyne.
Two years ago, Narec supported regional development agency, One North East (ONE) in attracting Clipper Windpower to invest in North East England and locate their engineering design team for the Britannia Project in Blyth, Northumberland. Clipper is now a client of Narec, utilising our independent and confidential testing facilities to help accelerate the development of the Britannia Turbine in time for its projected rollout in Crown Estate Round 3 wind farms.
Today’s announcement is excellent news for the region and provides a shot in the arm for industry on the region’s rivers, which are well placed to take advantage of an industry set to be worth £100 billion in the UK alone by 2020.
Narec is creating a national technology advancement hub for the industry in North East England, working with global turbine, blade, electrical infrastructure manufacturers and wind farm developers on their large turbine, blade and associated equipment development programs.
Our latest proposals to build on existing testing and R&D capabilities have received investment from National Government and Regional Development Agency, One North East, and are focused on improving the productivity of new technologies by addressing the reliability of technology, installation methods and O&M challenges.
With this support, Narec will continue to attract investment into the region as companies cluster around these world-leading ‘risk mitigation’ facilities and centres of expertise to enhance their new turbine development programmes. The offshore wind supply chain is already estimated to be worth £150 million in the North East and it is essential that for the UK to meet its targets, industry here grabs the opportunity with both hands.
Posted 16.02.10
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Posted 04.02.10
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Posted 08.01.10
Andrew Mill, CEO of Narec, technology advisor to the Crown Estate and providers of R&D, consultancy, test and demonstration facilities for the renewable and electrical power sector, believes that today’s announcement of successful Consortia awarded licences for the development of UK Crown Estate Round Three Offshore Wind Farms, is a huge step forward for the UK, marking a major tipping point for the future of offshore renewables.
The announcement of Consortia to develop new capacity is fundamental and the stature of those companies awarded contracts provides great confidence that targets will be achieved. An additional 25,000MW of capacity could be generated in the UK as a result and on such a large scale, a new approach is required from industry across the supply chain to ensure delivery.
As such, proving the technologies in the new larger turbines required for Round 3, before they are installed further offshore, will be a critical factor to accelerating the rate of installations and reducing the lifetime costs of new wind farms. Favourable proof points which will help deliver Round Three success include:
Ray Thompson, One North East Energy and Environment Manager, said: "This is a huge opportunity for the UK, giving us the chance to deliver a step-change in our total renewables capacity. We have already made significant progress in the North East in building the skills and the capacity needed to unlock offshore's massive potential. The challenge now is to take it to the next step."
Posted 08.01.10
Narec is delighted to announce the appointment of Willy Rickett CB as a non-executive director to the Board of Directors. This will take effect from 1st October 2010. Willy was previously Director General, Energy Markets and Infrastructure at the Department of Energy and Climate Change.
Narec has established itself as the national centre for offshore wind and marine renewables. Willy will join Narec to assist in its development as an international centre for applied research and development. Working with other UK agencies, universities and industrial companies, Narec will help drive renewable energy technology development in the UK and internationally.
Posted 05.01.10
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Posted 09.12.09
Narec, providers of R&D, consultancy, test and demonstration facilities for the renewable and electrical power sector, announced today that it will build a new £15 million facility for testing offshore turbine blades of up to 100m in length.
The new advanced facility will provide an independent and confidential environment to accelerate the development of new blade designs before they are taken offshore. It will be the largest of its type in the world and expands on Narec’s existing blade testing capability developed over the last five years, serving the global supply chain and industrial research community.The new world class facility is jointly funded by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and Department for Energy and Climate Change (£11.5m) and Regional Development Agency One North East (£3.5m).
Andrew Mill, CEO of Narec, said: “This funding comes in timely response to calls for improved facilities from project developers and manufacturers who urgently need to validate and improve the future reliability of next generation prototype machines, before they are rolled out in their hundreds under Crown Estate Round 3 plans.
“Future wind turbine blades are predicted to increase to up to 100m in length and will utilise new materials, for deployment offshore in the UK over the next ten years and beyond, so it is absolutely vital for the industry that there are suitable facilities in the UK. In order to provide insights into the likely performance of such blades under hostile operational load, there will be an increased level of sophistication in the types of tests to be performed.“We are delighted that the Government has recognised our achievements to date and has invested in Narec to further develop our world-leading offering. This will allow us to keep pace with global market needs and continue in helping to inform and pave the way for manufacturers looking to invest in the UK.”
Margaret Fay, Chairman of One North East, said: “This world-leading new facility will be a major attraction for companies deciding where to develop offshore wind.“It builds on significant long-term investment already made by One North East in renewable energy and in the wider low carbon sector, which have the potential to create thousands of jobs for our region.”
Narec already has the only full-scale blade testing facility in the UK, with a capability developed over the last five years, which serves the global wind supply chain and industrial research community.
Working with utilities, manufacturers and technology developers, Narec undertakes accelerated full-life testing; composite analysis; damage assessment; blade and mould integrity inspection; and lightning protection system verification for blades at the current industry average length of 45-50m.
The latest funding development builds on Narec’s world-leading fatigue testing technology which has been developed specifically to meet with the challenges of testing longer more flexible blades. The new extension will be focused on testing offshore blades in the 50 to 100m range and will deliver the technology development and certification required for Round 3.
Further proposals for the development of the Narec wind campus over the next five years to support the deployment of Round 3 farms, expected from 2014 include a drive train development facility for turbines of up to 12MW and full-scale demonstration capability.
These proposals will make Narec a global hub for the accelerated deployment of offshore wind generating capacity.
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