Levenmouth demonstration turbine

Levenmouth Demonstration Turbine Profile

Location

The Levenmouth Demonstration Turbine is located at the Fife Energy Park in Methil, Firth of Forth, Scotland.

Turbine Specifications

• The turbine is a 7MW offshore wind turbine, making it one of the most advanced open-access research turbines in the world.
• It was originally installed as part of Samsung Heavy Industries' (SHI) demonstration project before being acquired by the UK Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult in November 2015.

Operational History

• Initially, the turbine had a consented operational life of 5 years, but in August 2018, the operational life was extended to 15 years through a section 36 consent variation.

Research and Development

• The turbine is dedicated to research and product validation/demonstration. It is equipped with a comprehensive package of instrumentation, including measurements for hub temperature, rotational speed, azimuth, pitch, nacelle yaw, wind speed, drive-train oil pressure, and various other parameters. This data is used to develop and validate virtual models of the turbine, such as the CLOWT (Clone of the Levenmouth Offshore Wind Turbine) project.
• The turbine is used for various research projects, including the development of improved wind turbine and farm control systems, such as Lidar-assisted control and the TotalControl project. These projects aim to enhance operational flexibility, load reduction, and damping.

Recent and Ongoing Projects

• A significant ongoing project involves the installation of vortex generators (VGs) on the turbine blades to improve aerodynamic performance. This project, funded by ORE Catapult and involving Swansea University and other partners, aims to reduce flow separation around the blades, thereby increasing the annual energy production (AEP) of the turbine. Initial testing is being conducted in Swansea University’s wind tunnel, and the project includes flow visualisation campaigns to measure the impact of VGs.

Data Utilization

• The turbine's operational data is managed through the Platform for Operational Data (POD) service, which facilitates data availability for next-generation offshore wind turbine technologies. This includes controller development, adaptability, and operational flexibility studies.

Future Activities

• As of 2024, the site is applying for a permit to test anchors within the turbine location, with the works scheduled to take place between 9 September 2024 and 20 October 2024.

Regulatory and Consent

• The turbine operates under various consent and licence agreements, including a section 36 consent variation and an emergency response cooperation plan (ERCoP) submitted in June 2019.

The Levenmouth Demonstration Turbine serves as a critical platform for advancing offshore wind technology, providing valuable data and insights for the development of more efficient and reliable wind turbines.