Chinese turbine manufacturer Ming Yang Smart Energy has signed a testing agreement with the UK’s Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult to validate the main bearing of its 18.5 megawatt (MW) offshore wind turbine.
Under the contract, the turbine component will be delivered to ORE Catapult’s National Renewable Energy Centre in Blyth, Northumberland, in the coming months and subjected to tests simulating real-world offshore conditions.
The collaboration leverages ORE Catapult’s experience in evaluating and validating new offshore wind technologies, which has supported the UK’s rapidly growing offshore wind sector.
“Offshore wind will play a central role in the UK’s journey to delivering Clean Power 2030 and to achieving Net Zero in the years beyond,” said ORE Catapult chief executive Steve Foxley. “Today’s announcement highlights one of the many vital roles ORE Catapult plays in supporting that transition – providing independent validation of quality and reliability, helping developers and the wider sector make informed choices.”
Ming Yang vice president for engineering and technology Europe, Marc Sala, described the partnership as a key step for the company’s UK expansion. “For Ming Yang, this partnership with ORE Catapult is a major milestone in our strategic push into the UK market and marks a decisive breakthrough for our local operations,” Sala said.
He added: “By partnering with ORE Catapult’s world-leading test facilities, we will bring our 18.5MW offshore turbine to the UK—and wider international markets—quickly and with proven reliability, further strengthening our global leadership in high-end wind technology.”
The testing is expected to provide independent verification of the turbine’s performance and durability, supporting Ming Yang’s plans to deploy the technology in both UK and international offshore projects.
