Seven UK companies from industries including oil and gas, manufacturing and robotics have secured £364,000 in finance from the Offshore Wind Growth Partnership’s (OWGP) first funding calls to industry.
Cedeco, Global Energy Group, Magnomatics and W3G Marine were successful in the call to drive cost reduction from advanced manufacturing techniques, while Cognitive Business, Sennen Tech and Smart Component Technologies will work to develop advanced sensors, Internet of Things (IoT) and communications solutions for offshore wind.
The applications were assessed independently by external experts, with the highest scoring projects selected for grant funding.
A further £156,000 is to be leveraged in match funding contributions from successful companies, securing UK offshore wind supply chain projects worth £520,000 that are due to begin on the 1 February.
Some of the competition winners will work with delivery partners including the National Composites Centre and the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre to deliver projects including the application of machine learning in renewables fabrication and a robotic welding feasibility study.
Other projects will tackle remote monitoring of critical fasteners and improving operations and maintenance efficiency through better use of data metrics.
Minister of State for Business and Energy Kwasi Kwarteng: “The UK is a global leader in offshore wind and this funding will help our brilliant supply chain to innovate even further.
“Renewables are not just good for our climate, but for jobs and the economy as well – with up to 2 million new green-collar jobs by 2030. I look forward to seeing what these companies go on to achieve.”
OWGP programme director Andrew Macdonald said: “This was a very competitive process and we received a high number of quality applications, totaling almost £2m in project costs, demonstrating the huge opportunities to maximise the economic benefits of our world-leading position in offshore wind.
“The OWGP is committed to delivering increased productivity and competitiveness that will drive increased UK content into offshore wind farms in the rapidly growing global market, as well as in the UK.”
OWIC sponsor for the OWGP Halfdan Brustad said: “On behalf of OWIC, I am delighted to see these contracts awarded by the OWGP.
“Utilising the funding provided by OWIC members, the OWGP has been able to identify an exciting range of projects from UK companies which merit support and investment.
“Activities undertaken by the OWGP, such as through these pilot calls, are important opportunities to support the growth of the UK supply chain and to help us deliver on our ambitions under the Offshore Wind Sector Deal. I look forward to seeing the outputs from all seven companies.”