The Crown Estate launches innovative two-bladed wind turbines project in Scotland

The organisation managing the properties of the crown has entered an agreement with 2-B Energy to develop an offshore wind project powered by two-bladed turbines on the seabed at Methil in Scotland – the first of its kind in the world.

The 6 megawatt (MW) turbines will be the first ever to use the innovative two-bladed technology, and would start operations in 2016, planning consent permitting.

Compared to most common three-bladed turbines, two-bladed are said to be less costly, more stable and equally efficient.

While developers have previously ignored them because they are louder and sometimes at risk of springing back because of their flexibility, engineers have lately found a way to fix these issues.

Huub den Rooijen, head of offshore wind at The Crown Estate, said, “In order to fully unlock the potential of offshore wind over the long term, it is vital that opportunities are made available to test and demonstrate innovative and emerging technology platforms to bring down costs and secure the UK’s position as a global leader in offshore wind technology.

“As such, we are pleased to have concluded an Agreement for Lease with 2-B Energy and look forward with interest to seeing the technology mature.”

Mikael Jakobsson, chief operating officer for 2-B Energy, whose subsidiary Forthwind Limited is involved in the projects, added, “We have reached an exciting point in the development of our company and the Methil project will be a significant step forward along our pathway to commercialisation.

“We hope that through this offshore development and demonstration step, and following the completion of our first on-shore demonstrator in early 2015, to be able to validate significant cost reductions in future offshore wind deployment.”

2-B Energy has received grant support from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and investment from the Scottish Investment Bank to realise a full-scale onshore prototype of the structure in the Netherlands, before installing the offshore turbines in Methil.

Photo: Colin Brough via FreeImages

Further reading:

London Array expansion plans scrapped over bird safety concerns

Green Investment Bank to launch £1bn offshore wind fund

Renewable energy accounted for 15% of UK electricity in 2013

UK wave and tidal industry receives major boost as Crown Estate agrees commercial seabed rights

The Guide to Sustainable Clean Energy 2014