The University of Plymouth has unveiled a game-changing facility that will be used to test state-of-the-art innovations in floating offshore wind technology.
The UK Floating Offshore Wind Turbine Test (UK FOWTT) facility is now operational within the University's Coastal, Ocean and Sediment Transport (COAST) Laboratory.
It will enable wind speeds of between 0.5 m/s and 10 m/s to be generated which, in addition to the existing wave generation technologies, will create a scaled-down version of the ocean environment.
The combination of waves and wind will allow researchers to improve their understanding of how future technology advances could be impacted by atmospheric conditions.
It will also provide a low-risk environment in which researchers from academia and industry can test new and novel concepts.
The new facility has been funded through a grant of more than £1million from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), part of UK Research and Innovation.
It comes at a time when the sector is predicted to grow significantly, with floating offshore wind farms set to be developed in the Celtic Sea and off the coasts of Scotland and Wales.
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