The Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult has gained four new major players in its joint industry project to develop seabed mobility guidance for the offshore renewable sector.
The 18-month project has now doubled the number of partners on board with the National Grid, Orsted, Vattenfall and BP joining RWE, Scottish Power Renewables, ESB and SSE – leveraging their combined expertise to address challenges around seabed mobility and provide guidelines in planning offshore wind and marine energy developments worldwide.
Malcolm Stirling, Project Manager at ORE Catapult, said: “As the offshore wind industry continues to expand globally, ORE Catapult is pleased to announce the progress of a critical Joint Industry Project (JIP) where our partners bring their expertise to understanding the impact of seabed changes.
“Seabed mobility poses potential risks to renewable installations, including offshore wind, wave, and tidal energy projects, and the absence of a recognised industry approach to assess this risk underscores the importance of these guidelines. By addressing seabed mobility comprehensively, we anticipate significant cost reductions across diverse geographic locations, promoting the sustainability of offshore energy projects.”
The industry leading partners are working in tandem with seabed mobility experts Cooper Marine Advisors and Partrac on the project, which should be completed in spring 2025.
Phil Payne, Marine Survey Manager at National Grid, said: “National Grid has a critical role to play in connecting cleaner, more secure, and more affordable energy to the grid. We are delighted to join this group of industry leading partners, which recognises the importance of coordination of expertise in all phases of delivery of wind and marine energy projects.”