A leading wind turbine blade manufacturer delivered a 56 meter blade to the University of Maine’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center last week.
The turbine blade will undergo rigorous testing at the lab that has the longest structural reaction floor in the U.S.
According to UMaine spokesman Josh Plourde, the UMaine Composites Center is one of two labs in the US which can test blades of this size in static and fatigue and are certified to conduct these tests.
The Center can test blade towers and foundation components up to 70 meters in length.
Earlier this year, UMaine failed to secure a USD 47 million Department of Energy (DoE) fund for the Aqua Ventus 1 floating offshore turbine platform project.
On the other hand, the DoE agreed to fund the project with only USD 3 million. The project is being developed by UMaine-led consortium made of Emera Inc., Cianbro Corporation and Maine Prime Technologies, LLC.