UK research centre agrees deal to test Chinese offshore wind turbine

The deal will see the ORE Catapult provide testing and validation for the main bearing of an 18.5-GW wind turbine developed by Ming Yang Smart Energy,  the largest privately owned wind turbine manufacturer in China.

The test piece is scheduled to arrive at ORE Catapult’s National Renewable Energy Centre in Blyth, Northumberland, in the coming months and will be subjected to simulated real-world conditions that replicate what an operational 18.5-MW turbine would experience out at sea.

This is the first testing agreement that ORE Catapult has signed with Ming Yang Smart Energy and builds on years of experience of testing technology that has gone on to play a major role in the UK’s expansion of offshore wind.

ORE Catapult chief executive Steve Foxley said, “Offshore wind will play a central role in the UK’s journey to delivering Clean Power 2030 and to achieving Net Zero in the years beyond.

“This announcement highlights one of the many vital roles ORE Catapult plays in supporting that transition, providing independent validation of quality and reliability, helping developers and the wider sector make informed choices.”

Ming Yang Smart Energy vice president engineering and technology Europe Marc Sala said, “For Ming Yang, this partnership with ORE Catapult is a major milestone in our strategic push into the UK market and marks a decisive breakthrough for our local operations.

“By partnering with ORE Catapult’s world-leading test facilities, we will bring our 18.5 MW offshore turbine to the UK – and wider international markets – quickly and with proven reliability.”

In October 2025, Ming Yang Smart Energy confirmed plans to create what would be Britain’s largest, and first fully integrated, wind turbine manufacturing facility 

The proposed facility, to be built in Scotland, would see the Chinese company invest up to £1.5Bn (US$2.0Bn) in a new wind turbine factory for turbines for fixed-bottom and floating offshore wind projects for the UK and for export, creating up to 1,500 new jobs, with a potential 1,500 more new jobs in later phases.

The investment plans are still subject to final approvals from the UK government and are an integral part of a wider pan-European strategy, in which other locations are being explored. Discussions about the Chinese investment have been ongoing for some time, with potential investment in the UK welcomed by some and viewed as having serious industrial, energy and national security issues by others.