The offshore wind turbine blade of GE’s Haliade-X 12MW turbine has arrived at the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult’s testing facilities in Blyth, Northumberland. The 107 metre LM Wind Power blade will be put through its paces at ORE Catapult’s 100 metres blade-test facility over the coming months.
The blade will undergo a full range of advanced testing procedures, demonstrating its ability to withstand peak wind conditions and simulating its readiness for years of operation at sea. Three other 107 metre blades will soon be shipped to a prototype site in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Shipping and testing the first components of the Haliade-X 12 MW keeps GE Renewable Energy on track to commercialise the technology in 2021.