Babcock International and the University of Edinburgh have opened the world’s first rapid testing facility for tidal turbine blades.
The new facility will make testing faster and use significantly less energy.
Based at Babcock’s Rosyth site in Fife, the £4.6m facility was officially opened by UK Government Minister for Scotland Malcolm Offord, supported by a £1.8m grant from the UK Government, via the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.
The facility’s 75-tonne reaction frame, built by Babcock, will be capable of exerting powerful forces on turbine blades more than 50 feet long.
Tests on blades are carried out using a system of powerful hydraulic cylinders and in three months can simulate the same stresses placed on the structures during two decades at sea.
Data generated from testing will help researchers and developers understand how tidal turbine blades deteriorate over time, so they can optimise the design of more durable, efficient structures.
FastBlade will also let client businesses and engineering students and apprentices the opportunity to develop their digital and data skills in its centre. The technology can also be used to test lightweight bridge sections and aircraft wing components.
It is the first facility to open as part of the Arrol Gibb Innovation Campus at the Babcock site in Rosyth, helping companies in the marine, nuclear power and energy-transition sectors to transform large-scale manufacturing through innovation and skills development.
Lord Offord said the facility would “speed up the rollout of equipment that will capitalise on sustainable tidal power and underline Scotland’s place as a world leader in offshore renewables technology”, adding: “This test site, borne from innovative research at the University of Edinburgh University and engineering firm Babcock, will not only aid the UK’s Net Zero ambitions, it will also support thousands of skilled energy sector jobs as we transition to a more sustainable future.”
Neil Young, engineering director for Babcock, added: “Collaborations like this are fundamental to help us and the wider engineering industry create more research opportunities and secure longer-term investment into digital and data skills – an area that is significantly growing in demand for Babcock and our customers.
“We believe the research arm of this facility will generate real interest from students looking to learn more about sustainable technology and I’m really looking forward to working with the teams to support that skills agenda and see where this takes us into the future.”
Professor Conchúr Ó Brádaigh, Head of School of Engineering at the University of Edinburgh, said: “FastBlade will be the world’s first dedicated fatigue test facility for tidal turbine blades, and will help this emerging industry provide clean, reliable renewable energy at a reasonable cost to consumers.”
Separately, the Rosyth yard has won a £30m contract to maintain two Royal Navy aircraft carriers.
The 10-year agreement will see the HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales undergo dry dock maintenance at the Babcock's facilities in Fife.
The same yard won the contract to carry out the first dry-dock maintenance of HMS Queen Elizabeth in 2019.
The UK Government said the latest contract would help sustain 300 jobs at the yard and the wider supply chain.
Jeremy Quin, defence procurement minister, said: "The Queen Elizabeth class carriers are the flagships of our Royal Navy and it's crucial they remain ready to protect and defend the UK and our allies.
"Both carriers had their final construction in Rosyth, and I'm pleased they will return for their dry dock maintenance, supporting vital jobs and skills in Scotland."
The 65,000-tonne carriers cost taxpayers £3bn each and are used to launch the F35 Joint Strike Fighter fast jets across the globe.
HMS Prince of Wales recently supported Exercise Cold Response - the largest Arctic exercise in 30 years, which saw 2,000 British personnel join 26 other nations off the shores of Norway - while her sister ship HMS Queen Elizabeth has been carrying out training in waters close to the UK.
Sean Donaldson, Babcock's managing director of marine engineering and systems at the Rosyth site, commented: "The programme will also benefit from the extensive knowledge and expertise of Babcock's skilled workforce which is steeped in carrier experience. It's a really proud moment for us."
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