EMEC Launch £1M offshore wind research and innovation programme

By: Mark Casey 11/12/2023 EMEC

General Windfarms

A £1 million research and innovation (R&I) programme is searching for novel solutions to help deliver offshore wind faster, cheaper and at lower risk. The first in a series of innovation calls has opened for applications, with up to £300,000 available to projects.

The Offshore Wind R&I Programme, delivered by the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC), based in Orkney, and sponsored by the West of Orkney Windfarm, is exploring ways to overcome specific technical challenges in offshore wind and to embed the economic benefits in the north of Scotland.

A series of innovation calls will address different challenge areas facing the West of Orkney Windfarm, spanning metocean, installation, logistics, and operations and maintenance (O&M).

Last year, the West of Orkney Windfarm secured the rights to an area of seabed from Crown Estate Scotland to develop an offshore wind farm 30 km west of the Orkney Mainland and 25 km north of the Sutherland coast.

Once complete, the multi-billion pound project will deliver enough electricity to power more than two million homes, alongside significant social and economic benefits to the north of Scotland.

The R&I Programme will sponsor innovative projects to help the supply chain bring new solutions to market, build operational capacity and scale up activities.

Dr Heather Turnbull, Offshore Wind R&I Programme project manager at EMEC, said: “Working with the West of Orkney Windfarm, we’re aiming to accelerate innovation in the north of Scotland, reducing the time, cost and risk of offshore wind roll out, while enhancing supply chain capacity in the region. This programme aims to help businesses grow and create jobs, bringing skills, capabilities and economic benefit closer to wind farm projects.“

Mike Hay, Deputy Project Director at the West of Orkney Windfarm, said: “We’re really excited to be supporting this EMEC initiative to help deliver the West of Orkney Windfarm safer, faster and at lower cost. We’re also delighted to be helping in the diversification strategy of a major local employer by leveraging EMEC’s substantial experience in the management of innovation programmes into offshore wind.“

“Although focussed on the West of Orkney Windfarm, we expect the outputs of this programme to have much wider implications on the delivery of offshore wind projects in challenging marine environments. The Offshore Wind R&I Programme could therefore also help embed a successful supply chain opportunity in Scotland that could go beyond West of Orkney Windfarm to work on projects internationally.”

For more information about offshore wind farm projects across the globe, click here.

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EMEC Launch £1M offshore wind research and innovation programme

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