SEABLADE

Systematic Evaluation and Analysis of BLADEs for a 2MW floating Tidal Energy Converter

Funded by:

OCEANERA-NET COFUND COFUNDED JOINT CALL 2017

Partners:

NUIG, EireComposites, OMP

Description:

This project concerns testing of blades for a 2MW tidal turbine. ÉireComposites has identified the strong potential to reduce the cost of tidal turbine blades using epoxy powder and glass fibre and an innovative proprietary manufacturing technology with advantages for weight, performance, efficiency, reliability, maintenance and costs.  The company is delivering a set of these blades through the Horizon2020 FloTEC project (No. 691916). The SEABLADE project will advance the verifiable design life of such blades through a suite of tests and verification studies, both accelerating advancement of the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) and commercial readiness and informing decision making for future design iterations to reduce material costs, while also improving reliability and performance even further. 

Testing activities will include fatigue testing at coupon, breadboard, component and full-scale levels and operations trials of a full-scale blade. It constitutes the most extensive test program ever performed on a large tidal blade.  As such, it concerns the call topics 1, 2 and 4 (Ocean energy devices, Components and subsystems and Materials and structures).

This project will accelerate the development of a commercial-ready, cost-effective tidal blade product. The key objective is to gather sufficient test data to validate a 20-year design life for the blades.  This will result in more reliable blades that will lead to reduced maintenance and increased productivity and revenue.  The project will, therefore, reduce the commercial risks associated with tidal energy.  The overall impact of the project will be a reduced LCOE for the European citizen who will be the ultimate end user and beneficiary of the project. 

These objectives will be achieved by bringing together a strong, transnational consortium which includes a pioneering Scottish tidal turbine developer (Scotrenewables Tidal Power), a highly innovative blade manufacturer (ÉireComposites) and an Irish University with world-leading facilities for tidal blade testing (NUI Galway). 

Testimonial:

According to Tomás Flanagan, R&D Director at ÉireComposites:

"ÉireComposites estimate that we would have forgone over €3m of revenue over the last 3 years without the collaboration with Dr Goggins’ team in MaREI, which is significant for an indigenous Irish company who employs over 50 people and had a turnover of ca. €4.7M in the year to June 2016"

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