Britain’s commitment to meet the EU target of generating 20% of the community’s energy from renewable resources by 2020 means an increase in the largest generator of renewable energy – wind power.
Britain’s own share of this EU target is 15% renewable energy, and that in turn means between 30-40% renewable electricity – at present we generate around five percent. The gap to be bridged in ten years is therefore colossal – hence the size of the offshore programme.
With this in mind, Peter Tavner, professor of New & Renewable Energy at the School of Engineering and Computing Sciences at Durham University, has conducted a new piece of analysis that is available from tomorrow (12th September), titled, ‘Offshore Wind Turbines: Reliability, availability and maintenance’.
The new research explores the major problems which need to be solved if offshore wind power is to become one of the main sources of energy. The wind turbines which make-up wind farms need to be reliable, available and lasting. The cost effectiveness of the maintenance needed to achieve that availability and longevity is essential to improve the costs and the future of this emerging industry.
The research addresses these issues head-on and demonstrates clearly to readers the facts and figures of wind turbine operation and offshore maintenance in the often harsh offshore environment.
The report will be available from 12th September via the Institution of Engineering & Technology website – Click Here).
