EchoBolt Advanced Fastener Inspection for Wind Turbines

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The UK has significant wind power resources and leads the world in offshore wind power generation. In 2018 the wind industry provided 17% (57.1 TWh) of the UK electricity supply \[UK Energy Statistics, 2018\] and is forecast to increase substantially over the coming decade (National Grid FES). In order to ensure renewable energy can be deployed effectively to combat climate change and to ensure costs to consumers remain low the industry must continue to develop new technologies and operate more efficiently.Currently wind turbines incur significant cost and downtime associated with routine retightening of bolted connections that join wind turbine components together. This reduces the amount of power they can generate and increases the costs of operation.This project will develop a unique method for monitoring the condition of bolted connections without the need to regularly retighten, allowing wind turbine operators to reduce the risk of structural failure, substantially reduce maintenance costs, increase turbine production and lower the cost of energy to the consumer.This project will provide the basis for a UK technology to be exported to the global wind industry, creating skilled jobs, reducing the cost of energy to the consumer and allowing the increase in deployment and utilisation of wind farms helping to combat climate change.