Equinor and ORE Catapult have announced a collaboration agreement that aims to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing the offshore renewables sector.
The UK-wide partnership brings together Equinor, the operator of Dogger Bank, with the UK’s leading R&D experts in offshore wind energy at ORE Catapult, building on previous collaborations between both organisations.
ORE Catapult and Equinor have a joint aim to collectively invest in technology readiness for offshore wind.
Together they will focus on developing skills in the industry, on operations and maintenance initiatives, on improving turbine reliability/performance and on energy integration.
ORE Catapult’s technology development director Tony Quinn said: “With a long history of collaboration between ORE Catapult and Equinor, this agreement was a logical next step that we are very excited to see come to fruition.
“Supporting Equinor in developing solutions to key challenges for the sector, across skills, O&M and energy integration in particular, will generate exciting outcomes for the industry moving forward.”
ORE Catapult and Equinor are aligned on key areas such as supporting the UK Offshore Wind Sector Deal, accelerating innovation and developing opportunities in clusters across the UK.
Broader collaboration in the future could include hydrogen electrolysis and battery storage.
Equinor senior vice president for North Sea Renewables Trine Borum Bojsen said: “We are delighted to strengthen our partnership with ORE Catapult, building on our relationship developed in North East England and around our floating wind project, Hywind Scotland, where we have previously collaborated to share data.
“We look forward to working together on initiatives across the UK that will help to develop a more competitive UK supply chain, deliver new innovations and support the talent of tomorrow entering the industry.”
Key components in the Dogger Bank supply chain have undergone rigorous testing and certification at ORE Catapult’s world leading testing facility in Blyth as part of the delivery of the project.
Equinor has also been a delivery partner on ORE Catapult’s Technology Innovation and Green Growth in Offshore Renewables (TIGGOR) programme since its inception and currently supports the Catapult’s UK wide Launch Academy programme.