AN INVENTION from the minds of Scottish innovators could propel wind farming forward at a crucial time for sustainable energy sources.
Armour Edge, developed by Edge Solutions, provides wind turbines with long-lasting protection, and may even outlast the machines they are fitted to.
Finding a way to preserve turbines in the face of heavy rain, ice and hail has long been a pressing issue in the industry.
Known as “leading-edge erosion”, companies based both onshore and offshore are keen for new ways to prevent the surface of the turbine’s blades being degraded by the weather.
The Dundee-based firm believe they have found the answer, finding that their hard thermoplastic shield lasts for more than 50 years.
The research was conducted by The Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult, an independent innovation centre established by the UK government in 2013.
At their base in Blyth, Northumberland, ORE Catapult concluded that Armour Edge has a longer lifespan than its competitors and also degraded more evenly, boosting aerodynamic performance.
David Urch, Managing Director of Edge Solutions, said: “This report suggests a wind farm operator will only need to apply Armour Edge once.
“In addition, its mode of failure is unique in comparison to any other leading-edge protection tested, meaning it should retain its aerodynamic properties throughout most of its life.
“We believe widespread adoption of this product can transform the economics of operational windfarms.”
The roll out of Armour Edge was facilitated by at £700,000 investment secured as the company joined forces with INEOS Styrolution, who collaborated on the product.
An earlier study by ORE Catapult suggested that solving the leading-edge erosion problem could boost annual energy production by up to 2% on offshore wind farms.
The findings specified that if an offshore wind farm operated at 500MW, revenue could be increased by as much as £3.5m thanks to greater blade protection.
In accelerated tests, Armour Edge lasted for an average of 232 hours, while the other solutions examined were defeated some time between 10 and 160 hours.
Scotland’s offshore wind supply is worth up to £1bn a year and is on track to triple by the end of the decade, according to industry representative organisation Scottish Renewables.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to announce the country’s new energy strategy on Thursday.
It comes in response to the rocketing cost of domestic energy bills, as well as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Mr Johnson has been meeting with leaders across the sector, including renewable energy and North Sea oil and gas, ahead of the launch.
