GALLERY: World's longest blade in UK for testing

UK: LM Wind Power's 88.4-metre blade has been delivered to the ORE Catapult test facility in Blyth, northeast England, to undergo testing as part of a EU-funded research project.

by David Weston 5 March 2018

  • LM Wind Power's 88.4-metre blade is in Blyth for testing

    LM Wind Power's 88.4-metre blade is in Blyth for testing

  • It is being put through its paces at ORE Catapult's 100m test facility

    It is being put through its paces at ORE Catapult's 100m test facility

  • The testing campaign is part of an EU funded project to develop longer blades

    The testing campaign is part of an EU funded project to develop longer blades

  • Currently, the 88.4-metre component is the world's longest offshore wind turbine blade

    Currently, the 88.4-metre component is the world's longest offshore wind turbine blade

of

The blade and the testing programme forms part of XL-Blade, an EU-funded project aiming to reduce the cost of offshore wind by developing large offshore wind turbine blades.

The blade was unveiled by LM Wind Power, a subsidiary of GE Renewable Energy, in June 2016.

It was designed in partnership with Adwen, the now-defunct Gamesa-Areva offshore wind joint venture that has been subsumed by Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, for its 8MW turbine. 

Pictures are courtesy of LM Wind Power and ORE Catapult