UK Trials Offshore Wind for National Grid Restart in SP Energy Networks' Blade Project

The UK is trialling the use of offshore wind to restart the electricity grid during national power outages as part of SP Energy Networks' Blade project. This three-year initiative aims to enhance energy security by enabling renewable energy resources to reenergize the grid.

SP Energy Networks and SSEN Transmission will collaborate with wind farm operators, including SSE Renewables and Ørsted, and the National HVDC Centre to model restoration methods using offshore wind. Currently, hydro generators are the primary means for grid restart.

The Blade project will be tested in a lab designed to simulate real-life scenarios and may be expanded to offshore wind farms across the UK. The project builds on the success of the Distributed ReStart initiative and is supported by the Carbon Trust's Offshore Wind Accelerator programme and Ofgem's Strategic Innovation Fund, involving a consortium of multiple stakeholders over the next three years.