Clipper Windpower and The Crown Estate have announced that The Crown Estate has signed an agreement to purchase Clipper's prototype of the world's largest offshore wind turbine, Clipper's 7.5MW MBE turbine, also referred to as the Britannia project.

The MBE prototype turbine will be assembled and tested at Clipper's Centre of Excellence for Offshore Wind in Blyth in the North East of England. The Britannia project has recently received the support of One NorthEast, the Regional Development Agency for the North East of England. Clipper Windpower is working closely with One NorthEast's Blyth-based New and Renewable Energy Centre (NaREC), which will provide the project with engineering and test facilities for blades, generators and drivetrains. Funding provided by One NorthEast also will support the development of Clipper's turbine supply chain and related manufacturing facilities.