Researchers at the University of Strathclyde will help Scotland to meet its ambitious renewable energy targets by improving the performance of offshore wind farms, following investment from Scottish Enterprise.

The funding has helped to secure a new experimental rig facility to test offshore wind condition monitoring technologies, allowing researchers to develop innovative techniques to improve the availability of offshore wind farms and reduce the need for expensive, reactive maintenance.

The new facility, based at the University's £2.6 million Centre for Advanced Condition Monitoring, will initially focus on technology to monitor the condition of offshore gearboxes, including advanced remote sensors to detect how they are being affected by extreme wind conditions.

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Professor Scott MacGregor, Dean of the University’s Faculty of Engineering, said: "The CACM is geared to play an important role in helping to meet renewable energy targets for Scotland and will provide cost effective technology that maximises the potential of offshore installations."

The CACM is part of the Scottish Energy Laboratory that was launched to strengthen collaboration across Scotland's key test and demonstration facilities.

This network of facilities has a combined investment value of £250 million across all key energy sectors and will be a hub for national and international companies to identify and access the most appropriate of Scotland's test and demonstration facilities for their technologies.

Neil Francis of Scottish Enterprise said: "We are fully committed to positioning Scotland as a leading location for renewable energy, in particular, offshore wind development."

(NE)