Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult expects to publish the contract notices and procurement documentation for the construction of its wind turbine bearing test facility in Blyth, UK, in March.
The tender, in which ORE Catapult will be seeking a company to design, procure, construct and commission the facility, was initially expected to be published in January this year.
In order to gauge interest in the project, ORE Catapult is hosting an Early Market Engagement event on 15 March at its National Renewable Energy Centre in Blyth.
The UK-based center expects that the event will help to engage with the market in order to gain expert opinion, explore possible approaches and increase ORE Catapult’s knowledge on how best to proceed with this procurement exercise.
The wind turbine bearing test facility will be initially used for research and product development of wind turbine main bearings and pitch bearings through exploration and testing of bearing characteristics under extreme load conditions.
The construction will begin with a strong floor and will be phased as funding becomes available, ORE Catapult said.