VertAx Wind Limited

VertAx Wind Ltd is a British company that has engaged with a number of leading industry players to develop its patented design of a multi-megawatt vertical axis wind turbine generator for use in the offshore environment.

VertAx Wind Limited was formed in 2007 out of Eurowind Developments Ltd with the objective of developing a multi-megawatt wind turbine generator for use specifically offshore. The company's aim is to substantially reduce the cost of offshore wind energy whilst re-establishing a wind turbine manufacturing activity within British industry and thus creating new 'Green Jobs' within the United Kingdom.

The company's strategy is to develop a design that is simple, robust and cost effective, whilst moving away from traditional supply chains. Longevity, reliability and low maintenance costs are key areas of consideration.

In order to achieve the necessary level of technical competence the company has engaged with a number of experts both at a corporate and individual level. This collective expertise will ensure the overall objectives are achieved and a reliable British product will contribute to meeting the United Kingdom's goal of reducing carbon emissions and producing electrical power from a renewable source of energy.

The technology behind the VertAx wind turbine design is a culmination of contributions from universities and privately funded research carried out by the founders over many years. It includes a combination of older technology re-visited with new design knowledge as well as substantial innovation, incorporating state of the art materials and modern manufacturing techniques. Much of the technology has been taken from other industrial sectors and then improved upon and adapted for the application of an off-shore wind turbine generator. This approach means that there are few aspects pertaining to the individual components that remain unproven, albeit in other industrial applications.

The primary goal driving the technology development was to provide a stepped reduction in the cost of electrical power generation from off-shore wind. By designing a machine that is modular and has few moving parts, VertAx Wind Ltd and its technology partners believe they now have the makings of a design that will enable them to achieve their stated objectives.