• Energy Research
• 2014 close
• 2014 close

Tripoded sponson turbines may be used with various types of pontoon(and vica versa).

Reliability and cost reduction are vital to the growth of the wind industry, especially offshore, and to realise the UK's targets for 2020 and beyond. A recent study by Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) shows that a reduction of 67% can be achieved in the maintenance costs of offshore wind turbines (WTs) if preventive maintenance is adopted, enabled by condition monitoring systems (CMSs). Reliawind, spun out from Cambridge University Engineering Department, has developed a novel and patent-pending CMS technology for WT drivetrains, which is 60% cheaper and substantially easier to install than its rival products in the market, and has greater fault detection precision and diagnosis. The unique feature of ReliaWind is the use of electrical measurements, already available in WTs, to detect and diagnose mechanical and electrical faults in WT drivetrains. Hence, the hardware and its installation are significantly simpler than existing CMS products. In addition, Reliawind algorithms are based on the analysis of complex electro-magnetic (EM) fields in the generator, derived from the voltage and current measurements, which have shown to give enhanced precision in fault detection. The technology is proven on laboratory-scale prototypes and is being developed for site testing in real wind turbines. This project aims to study, assess and prove the commercial feasibility of Reliawind for on- and offshore wind applications and set the foundation for commercialisation operation to move to the next phase

Small scale horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWT) and vertical access wind turbines (VAWT) are unable to handle high winds or turbulent conditions. At very high wind speeds wind turbines shut down. Existing designs focus on external mechanical and electrical systems to reduce the output rather than exploit the attributes of low and high wind conditions. Turbines with static blades cannot effectively capture the direct wind energy for all the blades. Existing designs rely on a small proportion of the total blade area and typically feature a symmetrical profile (equal profile each side). Existing vertical axis machines have an inherent inefficiency because while one blade is working well with the wind, other blades are effectively pulling in the wrong direction – causing them to behave as a brake. Vertogen Ltd have identified a gap in the market for a variable pitch VAWT.

Reliability is vital in the growth of the wind industry, especially offshore, and to realise the UK's targets for 2020. The global wind industry with 285,000 MW of wind power installation, of which 4,600 MW is offshore, spent over £3.3 billion for the maintenance and repair of wind turbines in 2011. A recent study by EPRI shows that a cost reduction of 47%, equivalent to £385,000 over a 20-year lifetime of a 3 MW onshore turbine, can be achieved by using predictive maintenance practices based on condition monitoring systems (CMS). Reliawind has developed a unique CMS technology with substantially enhanced precision and wider range of fault prediction. Its unique feature is the use of electrical data, already available in the wind turbine controller, analysed by an advanced model-based self-learning algorithm to detect mechanical and electrical faults in the wind turbine drivetrain.

To develop pigeon deterrent equipment to prevent pigeons from nesting under solar panels. The efficiency of solar panels can be lowered by pigeon droppings and also it causes a problem in terms of cleaning. Sometimes scaffold is required to be erected to clean the panels which can prove to be expensive.This is an on-going problem in the solar industry and it could have great potential for both the UK and Export markets as many countries now have solar panels on their roof tops.

Most rivers in the UK can produce much more hydropower than is currently being exploited, albeit at small but very numerous sites. The problem being solved by this project is the identification of sites where micro hydropower turbines, of different types and sizes, might easily and inexpensively be deployed to the benefit of the local communities and without damage to the environment. This can be achieved by accessing and combining data sets from government agencies, such as the Environment Agency, with data from existing satellite-based earth observation service providers. In revealing the potential of individual sites on rivers where "green" electricity can be produced 24 hours a day, we will stimulate growth in renewable energy jobs, cut Carbon emissions and establish localised secure supplies of electricity.

Wrexham Solar Thermal's new HIICS System, challenges the efficiency of current solar thermal systems. It is a highly flexible system that has a lower carbon footprint, with less components, does not use glycol to prevent freezing, and can be installed with or without a hot water tank and pump. It can be directly connected into a combi boiler system, reducing energy needed to heat water in the winter periods. The new HIICS System’s uniqueness lays in the design and control of thermal heat loss, making a highly efficient solar thermal system.