Marine, engineering and offshore specialist SeaRoc has been chosen to work with the VertAx Wind Limited project team.

The company will play a role in designing the deployment of vertical axis 10 MW offshore wind turbine generator.

It will work on a way to devise a safe way to install the machines, as the technology enters its next phase of development. SeaRoc will develop safe and reliable methods of installing this machine in the marine environments of the U. K., Europe and elsewhere.

VertAx managing director Steven Peace told New Energy Focus that to make bigger horizontal axis turbines, manufacturers have to make bigger blades - which can be a costly activity. The company believes its vertical axis design offers a much easier way to scale up wind generation machines - and will also see them requiring less maintenance.

The report also added that VertAx is hoping to attract government support in its efforts to develop its “very large” vertical axis machine, which it says should help to lower the cost of offshore wind energy.