The Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult has launched a new multimillion-pound floating offshore wind centre of excellence, to drive forward the development of next generation offshore wind.
The initiative is backed by up to 拢500,000 funding each from the Scottish Government and the Catapult鈥檚 Welsh-based Marine Energy Engineering Centre of Excellence (MEECE), match funding from industry and active support from Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership.
ORE Catapult said the aim is to develop an internationally recognised centre of excellence that will work to reduce the cost of energy from floating wind, accelerate the build out of floating farms, create opportunities for the 海角视频 supply chain, and drive innovations in manufacturing, installation and operations and maintenance.
ORE Catapult has a number of bases all over the 海角视频, and said Blyth's pioneering testing centre - which recently put the world's longest blade through its paces - will play a vital role in the work of the new centre.
A raft of research projects is expected to form part of the plans, which will lead to the heavy involvement from the Port of Blyth ORE Catapult.
It said the centre will also create opportunities for the 海角视频 supply chain, and drive innovations in manufacturing, installation and operations and maintenance.
The advancement of floating wind technologies is seen as vital if the 海角视频 is to deliver on its ambitious offshore wind growth target of 30 gigawatts by 2030 and meet the Committee on Climate Change鈥檚 recommendation of 75 gigawatts by 2050.
Eight initial projects will launch the centre鈥檚 activities.
Chris Hill, ORE Catapult鈥檚 operational performance director, said: 鈥淎ccording to International Energy Agency estimates, the next generation of floating turbines could generate enough energy to meet the world鈥檚 total electricity demand 11 times over in 2040.
鈥淥ur team of innovation experts and engineers will work across industry and academia to accelerate floating offshore wind technology deployment and de-risk and encourage innovation to ensure we deliver 海角视频 economic benefit from the global growth of floating offshore wind 鈥 growing local supply chains and delivering 海角视频 content and jobs.
鈥淲e鈥檝e already had strong interest from more than 10 offshore wind developers, including Total, Equinor, Mainstream Renewable Power and EDP Renewables, along with three 海角视频 universities, in joining the initiative, and are closely aligning the Centre鈥檚 activities with key stakeholders including Welsh Government, the Celtic Sea Cluster, Opportunity North East (ONE), the Oil and Gas Technology Centre (OGTC), the Deepwind Offshore Wind Cluster, Scottish Enterprise, Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Crown Estate Scotland.鈥澛犅
