The Danish government has handed over DKr50m ($7.58m) for an extension of the Lindoe Offshore Renewables Centre (LORC) test facilities to enable it to test the nacelles of 16MW offshore wind turbines.
As a result of the grant, LORC will be the world’s most powerful facility for the development, testing and validation of technology for wind turbines, the Danish Wind Industry Association (DWIA) said. The new test facility will be able to test machines that are 60% more powerful than the largest wind turbines currently on the drawing board and expected to be commissioned in early 2020.
“Denmark is a green pioneer, and with the support of LORC, we cement the ambition to play a key role in developing the super wind turbines of the future,” finance minister Kristian Jensen said.
DWIA didn’t reveal which wind OEM will be testing nacelles for 16MW machines. Danish-Japanese wind OEM MHI Vestas has a nacelle assembly that like LORC is located on Lindoe, but told Recharge it has no plans to test a 16MW turbine at LORC.
So far, the world’s biggest offshore wind turbine that has been announced is GE’s 12MW Haliade.
The fresh money for LORC is the first concrete initiative after Denmark’s wind turbine industry and the government in January signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the government to work together to ensure Denmark is the preferred country partner for the global wind industry.
Next to DWIA, industry heavyweights Orsted, Vattenfall, Siemens Gamesa, Vestas and MHI Vestas also signed the MoU.
Unlike many other countries, Denmark has not established minimum local content requirements for wind projects and instead bets on providing perfect conditions for global wind energy companies to lure testing, research and manufacturing facilities into the country.
“The Danish wind turbine industry literally takes some huge steps for our green transition and at the same time helps to draw large investments to Denmark,” said energy, supply and climate minister Lars Lilleholt.
“Therefore, in the government, we have decided to support the new testing facilities at LORC with DKr50m. The work that is going to take place here is in all Danes' interests - in relation to the climate, and in relation to export opportunities and green jobs.”
UPDATE to add MHI Vestas comment
