Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Ed Miliband said: Our coastline means the offshore wind industry has the potential to employ tens of thousands of workers by 2020, manufacturing, transporting, installing and operating the new turbines. “It will take an active government to get us there and the funds I am announcing today are part of the £120 million investment we are making this year and next in the wind industry to make that happen.”
The Grant is issued by DECC to stimulate the development and demonstration of offshore wind technologies and components for larger multi-megawatt turbines to enable their faster deployment within the 2020 timeframe.
James G.P. Dehlsen, Chairman of Clipper Windpower, said: “With the deployment of the 10 MW Clipper offshore turbine in UK waters, the nation will benefit from clean power, and also from the strong economic boost arising from the development and serial production of the turbines in the coming years. DECC’s leadership in initiating and expediting the Grant program is timely and will help to accelerate our planning for and delivery of the Britannia project. We are appreciative of the support and look forward to the opportunity to continue to work closely with the DECC.”
The Britannia Project blade development is anticipated to take place at a new 4,000 m2 facility which Clipper expects to occupy on the River Tyne in the North East of England. Once constructed, each blade will be more than 70 metres long and weigh over 30 tonnes.
Clipper plans to utilise fully the emerging UK supply chain opportunities in developing the manufacturing process for the new 10 MW turbine. A fully operational Clipper 10 MW turbine will stand at 175 metres in height and, over its lifetime, is expected to displace the use of two million barrels of oil and offset the need to dispel 724,000 tons of CO2 into the earth’s atmosphere. Upon – serial production, the 10 MW turbines will be deployed initially in European waters.
As previously announced on 17th April 2008, The Crown Estate has agreed to purchase the Britannia prototype. This investment will allow The Crown Estate to gain firsthand knowledge of the challenges facing the development of wind turbines specialised for deep water marine deployment as the process of engaging industry to develop the next phase of offshore wind farms begins.
The Britannia turbine is under development in response to the UK Government policy supporting the deployment of offshore wind turbines as a key element of meeting part of its targets for renewable energy generation required by 2020. The Crown Estate is currently in the process of awarding a further 25 GW of offshore wind zones which are likely to enter construction during 2016.
According to MAKE Consulting, the offshore wind market is expected to grow by 45% from 2009 to 2015*, as governments are pledging to support wind parks at sea.
Clipper Windpower
Energy drives our world and our economy. It’s also the leading contributor to Global Warming and climate change. Wind energy – clean, renewable and cost competitive – is a practical solution. At Clipper Windpower, we strive to advance the technologies and services that make our customers more successful in the large-scale expansion of wind energy, lessening the impacts of fossil generation on the earth.
In the coming years, wind industry growth will be substantial. Wind energy will increasingly fill the need for new power and displace inefficient, costly and polluting carbon-based fuel generation in power grids around the world. At Clipper, we’re committed and passionate in our pursuit to increase shareholder value by helping to drive our energy economy to a greener, more sustainable energy future.
The Liberty 2.5 MW Wind Turbine: Clipper Design
The Liberty wind turbine is variable speed with a unique, distributed powertrain, four permanent magnet generators and advanced power electronics. Simply stated, it is highly reliable and efficient wind turbine architecture, purpose-engineered for the extreme forces of multi-megawatt life. Liberty also offers an abundance of crew safety benefits, turbine health monitoring advancements for preventive maintenance, and installation economy advantages.
Project Development
Clipper’s project development team brings together expertise that spans more than two decades, including leadership of some of the industry’s largest and most successful wind energy developments. From land acquisition and permitting to site engineering, project finance, and local government support, our development capabilities cover the full range of activities necessary for successful wind project development. Coupled with Clipper Fleet Services’ full range of capabilities, Clipper can provide every expertise and customer convenience – from land acquisition and permitting through plant construction and operation. Our project development activities can be found throughout the United States, Latin America and Europe.
Our Capabilities:
Wind resource acquisition and management. Clipper acquires and maintains a substantial 6500 MW portfolio of wind resource rights for the development of projects utilizing Clipper wind turbines. This includes, among other things, wind flow analyses, environmental assessments, regulatory and permitting approvals, power contracts, transmission and interconnection agreements.
Project design and engineering. Clipper designs the turbine layout, power collection, transmission interconnection and substations, civil work and project logistics. Project design is based on advanced methodologies in analyzing the siting of turbines to maximize energy capture from the wind.
Project finance. With over $1 billion of successful financing completions, new projects benefit from cutting edge financing options and structures. Developing the financial structure, negotiating terms and documentation, and interfacing with financial institutions is a core competency and part of Clipper’s process for making sure that every aspect of the project is optimized.
Construction. Clipper can provide turn-key construction or construction supervision, and arranges all subcontractor agreements. Our management team’s expertise includes over 3,000 direct and/or oversight wind turbine installations at sites ranging from desert floors to mountain ridgelines. These installations have included high voltage transmission lines and substations, wind turbines and all related wind power facility infrastructure.
Operation and Maintenance. Once a wind power facility is commissioned, Clipper provides ongoing operation and maintenance services. This responsibility assures maximum production of electricity while maintaining an appropriate balance between short and long-term operating costs. High plant performance and availability require constant surveillance, and methodical preventive and scheduled maintenance services for high turbine availability and reliable operation.
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