Applications are open for an initiative aimed at expanding the US market for UK companies developing technology applicable to the floating offshore wind market stateside.
The UK-US Floating Offshore Wind Supply Chain Innovation Bilateral (FLOWB) supply chain programme brings together the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult and Innovate UK, with US partners that include the University of Maine and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
Together they will support UK companies developing exportable technologies to team up with floating wind platform developers in the US and benefit from up to a £1.5m funding pot.
ORE Catapult, NREL and University of Maine have identified four emerging technical innovation challenges that UK companies are ideally placed to solve.
Up to five companies will be chosen through a competitive process to each receive grant funding ranging between £300,000 and £500,000 as well as bespoke technical support from ORE Catapult for 18 months.
Chosen companies will engage with the US partners to develop new and innovative technologies or adapt pre-existing technologies that can be used in testing and demonstration projects.
Stephen Wyatt, Director of Strategy and Emerging Technologies at ORE Catapult, said: “This is a hugely exciting opportunity for companies in the UK to engage with floating offshore wind platform developers in the US – identifying technical and commercial gaps where they can work together and leverage the UK’s early floating supply chain experience.
“UK companies will be able to support the leading floating wind developers in the US and both will benefit from shared learning in this expanding and dynamic area of offshore wind.”
Anthony Viselli, Chief Engineer, Ocean Energy and Engineering, University of Maine, said: “USA University, UMaine, has a 400+ person engineering center and is a global leader for concrete floating wind foundation technology.
“We are excited to work with the UK supply chain through this ORE Catapult collaboration to develop cost-effective solutions for US and UK developers.”