Monthly Newsletter from the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult

Latest News, Insights and Analysis

Hello and welcome to the January edition of Re-Energise Online!

In the first Re-Energise Online of 2021, our Floating Offshore Wind Centre of Excellence has produced a report which suggests that floating wind in the UK could be subsidy free by 2030. We launched the latest regional strand of our Fit 4 Offshore Renewables (F4OR) programme in North East Scotland to support the development of a competent local supply chain in the offshore renewables industry. Amphibious iFROG robot leaps ahead in its ability to inspect and maintain offshore assets following successful trials at our facilities in Blyth. Hot off the press, the winter edition of our Re-Energise Magazine - The Road to Net Zero: Preparing for a Sustainable Future - is now available. Finally, watch the highlights of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's visit to our National Renewable Energy Centre in Blyth. 

Contact us at info@ore.catapult.org.uk or via your usual Catapult contact to discuss ways in which we can help and support you. 

1. UK Floating Wind Could Be Subsidy Free by 2030 
2. Fit 4 Offshore Renewables North East Scotland Programme is Launched
3. iFROG Robot Leaps Ahead in its Ability to Inspect and Maintain Offshore Assets
4. Winter Edition of our Re-Energise Magazine is now Available
5. Prime Minister Boris Johnson Visits our National Renewable Energy Centre

UK Floating Offshore Wind could be Subsidy-Free by 2030 

UK floating offshore wind could reach “subsidy-free” levels by the early 2030s, according to a study completed by our Floating Offshore Wind Centre of Excellence (FOW CoE).

The study suggests large floating offshore wind projects could secure Contracts for Difference (CfD) strike prices below current wholesale electricity price forecasts as early as 2029, depending on the deployment scenario pursued by the UK.

It also highlights the vital role floating offshore wind will play in the UK’s journey to Net Zero and towards delivering 100GW of offshore wind by 2050, in line with the recent Climate Change Committee’s Sixth Carbon Budget.

Chris Hill, Operational Performance Director, ORE Catapult and FOW CoE Executive Governance Board Co-Chair, said: "It is vital the UK takes a strategic approach to supporting the rapidly developing floating wind industry to ensure the potential benefits are realised. This study provides a strong evidence base for key policy decisions relating to the growth and scale of the industry in the UK - both in terms of focus for support, and timing." 

North East Scotland's Businesses to Benefit from Offshore Renewables Boom 

Following the success of the Scottish pilot of the Fit 4 Offshore Renewables (F4OR) programme, we have launched a series of regional programmes throughout the UK, with the latest open to businesses operating in North East Scotland.

Jointly funded with Opportunity North East, the F4OR North East Scotland Programme offers 15 places for innovators and supply chain companies in the region and looks to support the booming local energy supply chain to fuel the growth in offshore renewables and stimulate supply chain mobility and transition during the green economic recovery.

There are many highly experienced companies in the region with the skills, expertise and ambition to support the energy transition. While existing expertise in technologies such as moorings, anchors, subsea cables and connectors is highly relevant to the offshore wind sector, businesses need to adapt and build on their capabilities and strengths for this particular market. This is where the F4OR programme is here to help. 

Amphibious iFROG robot leaps ahead in ability to inspect and maintain offshore assets

iFROG robots at ORE Catapult's National Renewable Energy Centre

iFROG, an amphibious robot capable of working in teams to clean and inspect monopiles above water level and up to 60 metres below, has successfully completed trials at our test facilities in Blyth.

Developed under a three-year project that was funded by Innovate UK and brought together iFROG developer InnoTecUK, ORE Catapult, TWI and Brunel University London, the technology has the potential to be a game-changer in the offshore wind industry, reducing the safety risks and costs involved in deploying human divers to monopiles, as well as shifting the maintenance approach from reactive to preventative. By upping the frequency and quality of subsea inspections, iFROG can save up to £150,000 per offshore wind turbine per annum.

During the trials, two robots demonstrated how they can work together in a team above and below the waterline. The first robot performed corrosion mapping and water-jet cleaning of the monopile while the second robot inspected weld lines to assess integrity and flag potential defects.

Hot off the Press: The Winter Edition of our Re-Energise Magazine is Live

Want to know what the future of offshore wind could look like? Then check out our latest issue of the Re-Energise Magazine - The Road to Net Zero: Preparing for a Sustainable Future.

In this final edition of Re-Energise in 2020, ORE Catapult looks back on what has been a transformational year for the sector, and ahead to what the future might hold.

The magazine focuses on sustainable offshore wind farms, constructed using faster manufacturing processes, composite materials and components, operated and maintained by utilising advanced robotics, autonomous systems and artificial intelligence. It shows how UK IP products and services are being exported around the world. It examines the latest developments in cutting-edge green hydrogen. Another key theme is collaboration across the energy sector, with the offshore wind and oil and gas sectors working together to decarbonise our energy system and achieve a zero-carbon future.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson Visits our National Renewable Energy Centre 

In December 2020, together with senior industry figures from SSE Renewables , Equinor, GE Renewable Energy and LM Wind Power, Prime Minister Boris Johnson saw first-hand the scale and scope of the next-generation advanced testing and validation undertaken by ORE Catapult at Blyth.

Our Test & Validation Director Tony Quinn led an extensive tour through our Blade Test 2 and 15MW drive train test facilities, showing the LM 107m blade and GE’s Haliade-X nacelle that will be installed at the world’s largest offshore wind farm, Dogger Bank.

ORE Catapult CEO Andrew Jamieson said: “Prime Minister Johnson was both extremely engaged and hugely impressed. He promised support for the continued growth of the offshore renewables industry, with a strong emphasis on delivering UK benefit.”