ORE Catapult – the Glasgow-based innovation and research centre for offshore wind, wave and tidal energy – is seeking contractors for a £140,000 turbine blade-erosion research project.
The program will analyse the impact of wind-turbine blade leading-edge erosion on turbine performance and quantify turbine performance by comparing measured power curves before and after repair work.
In order to accurately quantify the impact of blade leading edge erosion on turbine performance a measurement campaign is proposed at an operational offshore wind farm. The proposed measurement campaign will generate power curves showing turbine output for a given incident wind resource for at least one test turbine.
Ultimately it is planned that data and analysis deliverables will be used as inputs to a cost modelling tool which will allow improved understanding for the industry of the potential impact of turbine-blade on the cost of energy.
The project is divided into two lots – measurement and performance analysis. For the measurement services the organisation is offering up to £110,000 while for performance analysis, the contract is worth up to £30,000.
The deadline for bids is by 21 April 2015.