Work will start later this year on a centre for renewables innovation in the Humber region following £4m in finance secured from the European Regional Development Fund.
The centre will be developed by Hull University initiative Aura, with further finance coming from Green Port Hull (£2.5m) and the university itself (£5.5m)
The money will also help to provide a programme of innovation support for Humber-based small and medium-sized companies active in the offshore wind and low-carbon sectors.
Construction of the Aura Innovation Centre (AIC), which will be built at Bridgehead near the Humber Bridge, will start towards the end of this year and is expected to be completed by the end of 2019.
“The development and presence of the AIC in the Humber region will strengthen the region’s international standing as a centre of excellence in offshore wind innovation,” Aura said.
Aura director Ben George said: “It is often SMEs who are prepared to innovate, think and operate differently.
“The Aura Innovation Centre is all about encouraging that innovative thinking. It’s about fostering a place where collaboration can happen easily to kick-start the low-carbon energy supply chain here in the energy estuary.”
The AIC will also house an operations and maintenance centre of excellence, jointly funded by Hull University and the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult.
Aura also partners with Orsted, Siemens Gamesa, ORE Catapult and the universities of Sheffield and Durham among others.
Image: impression of the new centre (Aura)
Humber centres on innovation
By EBS