UK-based defense contractor BAE Systems, together with its naval joint venture BVT Surface Fleet, will help build next-generation wind farms, through its role in an offshore turbine project announced by the Energy Technologies Institute.
The Energy Technologies Institute’s (ETI’s) Project Deepwater Turbine will develop new approaches for offshore turbines in depths of 30m to 300m and determine the feasibility of a 5MW floating offshore wind farm.
As a member of the Blue H Technologies consortium supporting the Deepwater project, BAE Systems, along with BVT, will provide engineering process expertise and lead in the concept design, said the company.
Project Deepwater Turbine is one of the first four projects to receive funding from the ETI, a partnership between the industry and the UK government, established to support the achievement of the UK’s targets for reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
BAE Systems said that it has already been working with developers, radar operators and government to solve issues around wind farm development. One of the major impediments to the expansion of this sector is the impact of turbines on radar performance of aircraft, affecting around 4,000MW of potential power.
Its work to date includes advising the Tween Bridge planning enquiry, resulting in the E.ON development being given consent in February 2008. BVT has also previously provided electrical distribution system design on Crystal Rig II, Green Knowes and a land-based wind farm in Europe at Whitelee.