The ORE Catapult is the UK’s leading technology innovation and research centre for offshore renewable energy. Their strategy is “to leverage our unique facilities and expertise to work in close partnership with the heavyweights of the offshore renewables industry – the OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) and other large industrials, the developers and owner/operators – to improve existing and develop next generation renewable energy technology in the UK.
OREC is collaborating with staff in the Departments of Mechanical and Electrical and Electronic Engineering to create the Powertrain Research Hub. The overarching objective of the Powertrain Research Hub is to support and fund the research and development of future technologies for the anticipated larger turbines and to research in depth potential solutions that improve turbine reliability, availability and minimise human interventions throughout the lifecycle of the asset. The activity is focussed in three areas; reliability improvement and advanced test methodology; advanced health condition monitoring and prognostic technologies; development of next generation powertrain components for larger sized wind turbines.