MAXBLADE

​Maximising tidal energy generation through Blade Scaling & Advanced Digital Engineering

Interior view of the FastBlade test facility, with a small tidal turbine blade mounted on the test frame in the foregroundFastBlade test facility
​To address the growing demand for efficient, clean and renewable energy sources, Europe is exploring new innovations and advancements. The EU-funded MAXBlade project aims to significantly boost tidal energy production through the development of a solution that offers a 70 % increase in rotor swept area while providing improved reliability, monitoring, maintenance and control. The project will take a holistic approach and develop multiple technologies while promoting a circular economy to reach net zero generation. The achievement of this goal could provide the EU with a competitive advantage in tidal blade manufacturing, production, and efficiency.

The Policy and Innovation Group will lead a work-package on Industrial Competitiveness & Circular Economy, developing two roadmaps 
  1. Roadmap towards a circular economy for tidal turbine blades. This will outline policies that can facilitate competitive European manufacture of fully recyclable composite tidal turbine blades by the 2030s, to align with European targets for large scale deployment of 40GW of ocean energy by 2050.
  2. Volume manufacturing roadmap for tidal turbine blades, including assessment of European and global value chains, identifying growth markets, and European export potential. Policy, regulatory, economic, technological, and organisation barriers to Europe leading in a globally competitive blade delivery will be assessed.

Blade testing will be conducted at The University of Edinburgh's FastBlade test facility.
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Visit the Project website maxblade.tech or view project results on CORDIS


​Project Partners​​
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​Co-funded by the European Union