The UK Government has introduced a series of initiatives totalling £15m ($20m) to accelerate technological innovation in the offshore wind sector.
Announced through Innovate UK, the package aims to support businesses developing new offshore wind technologies. The initiatives are designed to fast-track leading UK innovators into expanding domestic and international supply chains, while helping to sustain the UK’s global lead in offshore wind.
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Innovate UK Clean Energy director Rob Saunders said: “This is a coordinated package of support and it shows we are putting our new strategic direction into action.
“We are backing the UK’s deep and hard tech sectors, providing funding, infrastructure and connections that innovators need to turn breakthrough ideas into globally competitive companies.
“By embedding innovation across our offshore wind industry, we aim to create conditions for ambitious innovators to grow and thrive here in the UK while strengthening clean energy supply chains and driving net-zero progress.”
A central part of the initiative is the launch of the Offshore Wind Innovation Programme, backed by an initial £10m competition for high-potential UK businesses.
The programme is designed to encourage the development of advanced turbine technology, next-generation foundations and substructures, and future electrical systems and cables. It also supports smart environmental services and innovation in installation, operations and maintenance.
The first successful projects from this competition are due to be announced later in the year.
Alongside the innovation programme, a £5m Wind Innovation Hub has been created to bring together industry, government and the research community in a coordinated effort to advance offshore wind research and commercialisation.
The hub will also introduce an Innovation Accelerator fund, which will provide up to £2m in targeted technical support for fast-growing companies operating within the offshore wind sector.
It aims to help businesses transition from innovation to commercial deployment more rapidly.
Funding for the hub will be provided by Innovate UK. Delivery will be led by a partnership comprising the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult and the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, with leadership from the National Composites Centre and the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland.
In addition, phase one of the Large Structures Innovation Centre (LSIC), an open-access facility on the Isle of Wight, will be supported with £10m from Innovate UK and £2m from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
The LSIC has announced Vestas as its first industry launch partner, with collaborative work planned on sustainable wind turbine blade development.
UK Energy Minister Michael Shanks said: “Offshore wind is the backbone of our future energy system. By backing British innovation, we can go further and faster in building a system that protects families and businesses from fossil fuel price shocks.
“This is an exciting package of measures from Innovate UK that will help businesses grow, support jobs, boost manufacturing and speed up the transition to clean, homegrown power we control.”
