Norwegian energy giant Equinor is engaging with the UK offshore wind supply chain in order to commercialise new technologies for deployment by the industry post-2025.
Equinor is spurring companies into coming up with solutions for enhancing operations and maintenance (O&M) by giving potential supplier access to its requirements, specifically around projects that include Scira, Dudgeon and Dogger Bank.
The approach aims to encourage early collaboration between developer and suppliers, to help devise new technologies, products and services able to meet the changing, future requirements of the sector.
To assist it, Equinor partnered with UK business development organisation NOF Energy, the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult and the North East of England’s offshore wind cluster, Energi Coast, to host the company’s first ‘innovation day’ to support the development of future O&M concepts.
More than 70 companies from the UK supply chain, including a large cluster from north-east England, as well as universities, attended the event, held at the Port of Blyth, Northumberland.
NOF Energy deputy chief executive Joanne Leng said: “As the UK industry gets close to achieving a Sector Deal for offshore wind, approaches such as this from Equinor, one of our strategic partners through the Dogger Bank offshore wind farm project, could form an exemplar of how developers can achieve early engagement and collaboration with innovative, technology-led companies.”
Equinor new energy solutions senior vice president for operations Beate Myking said: “With several upcoming wind projects in the portfolio, with Dogger Bank as the most important one, we are committed to engage with the whole renewables supply chain, research institutes and universities in an effort to identify new solutions.”
Leng, who is also deputy chair of Energi Coast, added: “Working with Equinor we have seen how keen the developer is to maximise on the depth of UK supply chain innovation.
“It made the event at Port of Blyth very successful and I hope will be a catalyst for the creation of new technologies and solutions.”