ETZ Ltd and the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult have announced that they will co-invest and collaborate in a National Floating Wind Innovation Centre in Aberdeen, UK.
The £9 million centre will be located within what will be known as the Energy Transition Zone’s Offshore Floating Wind Park at the Altens Industrial Estate. ETZ Ltd is providing £4m for the capital costs of the innovation centre and ORE Catapult is contributing £5m to operationally run it. The initial focus of the Centre will be digital simulation and modelling, moving to the testing and validation of the key components of floating structures, including moorings and anchors, dynamic cables and electrical systems. The Centre aims to:
- support the development of a floating wind supply chain, increase UK content for new offshore wind farm developments in the future and strengthen O&M practices;
- support developers, operators, equipment manufacturers, supply chain companies and small innovators with research, test, deployment and validation in relation to offshore wind; enable collaboration with and between academia and industry to drive down costs of floating offshore wind and
- develop, accelerate and validate new and improved technology solutions; support clustering of energy transition investment and activities;
facilitate the transition of technologies from other industries, such as oil and gas; and - enable technology developers to reduce risks, such as premature failure and reducing unplanned maintenance.
