Directory of UK Based Test and Demonstration Facilities for Wind Technologies

Abstract

The UK’s extensive wind resource and rich history in the energy industry have made the UK internationally leading in both academic understanding and technology development capability in the wind energy sector. The sector is continuously and dynamically evolving and facing new technological challenges. The testing at scale of onshore and offshore wind energy technology is a crucial under-pinning factor in innovation and commercialisation of new technologies. The UK has a large number of advanced facilities, with a variety of capabilities, to de-risk technology development both at the academic and industrial level, with some of the world’s foremost testing assets. This report gives an insight into the UK testing and demonstration facilities landscape for the wind energy sector used by the scientific and industrial communities. It provides an extensive directory of the facilities of use to the UK and European wind research and development community, identifying where cutting-edge facilities exist within the UK for validation testing of new developments across the full range of Technology Readiness Levels. By providing a comprehensive understanding of the available testing and demonstration services, this document is a source of information for energy researchers and industry, academia and government innovators who have interest in reducing technology development risk. It contains useful technical insights to support academic/business cases and is accessible to professionals across all sectors of the wind industry from early career researchers through to senior industrial project managers. The document has been designed to be used as a reference directory and is produced from a combination of publically available material and Durham University internal sources. The document also provides links to recommended resources and detailed information specific to individual facilities.