UK supply chain opportunity hits the road  

Following the recent launch of the Offshore Wind Industry Prospectus, a series of events showcasing the opportunities in the sector for UK companies will be taking place in November and December.

Kicking off with an Offshore Wind North East-aligned session in Durham on Wednesday 7th November, the roadshows also take in supply chain hotspots Aberdeen, Southampton, Wrexham and Norwich, before finishing in the Humber on Wednesday 5th December. 

"I am keen to engage with both new market entrants and those established in the supply chain," says the former McLaren Group CEO Martin Whitmarsh, who led the supply chain review. Find out more about the events, find summary agendas, and register your attendance below.

 Billion-pound-saving blade inspection system set for Catapult testing

Span Access Solutions' alternative access and working at height solution in action. 

An innovative way of accessing turbine blades could save over £1bn across Europe's current offshore wind fleet.

Span Access Solutions Ltd, based in Kinross and Methil, will work with the Catapult, Turner Access Ltd, Turner Iceni and Dundee and Robert Gordon Universities on an £830k Innovate UK-backed project to advance the firm's technology.

The Blade Access System and Working Environment (BASE) project will develop a tower-mounted system and habitat to provide a stable working environment for technicians carrying out blade maintenance. The system will increase the quality of repairs and performance upgrades while reducing maintenance costs, turbine downtime and lost revenue. The system will be demonstrated at the Catapult's 7MW Levenmouth Demonstration Turbine in Fife.

 World-first test rig to improve subsea cable performance 

The Catapult has taken delivery of a bespoke, state-of-the-art cable bend fatigue test rig that will support the development, and improve the performance and reliability, of subsea cables. 

The new rig is capable of testing floating wind and tidal cables, carrying out operational research, and acting as a representative test bed for all aspects of subsea cable development.

Northumberland-based engineering firm Osbit Ltd designed and built the 15-tonne rig to the Catapult's specifications. With cable-related failures accounting for up to 80% of offshore wind project insurance claims, the rig enables the innovative testing of offshore array and subsea cables to improve their efficiency and resilience, supporting the development of next generation wind farms and associated electrical infrastructure.

For more cable content, visit our Analysis & Insight portal. Our recent papers include Offshore Wind Subsea Power Cables: Installation, Operation and Market Trends, by Othmane El Mountassir and Charlotte Strang-Moran, and Predicting Dynamic Subsea Cable Failure for Floating Wind, by David Young.

SME-dom of information: new reports launched to help innovators

The Catapult's SME Growth Platform last week launched a set of new resources to help and support SMEs gain access to the growing offshore renewable energy supply chain.

An Innovator's Guide to the Offshore Wind Market contains useful market insights to support a business case or help with writing a technology funding application. An Innovator's Guide to Technology Commercialisation in Offshore Wind offers basic guidelines for innovators looking at commercialising new products into offshore wind in the UK, while An Innovator's Guide to Finance and Funding contains useful insight into the financial landscape, with links to recommended website and resources for keeping up-to-date with available opportunities.

 Focus on Offshore Wind Week 2018

 

Taking place from the 19th–23rd November, Offshore Wind Week 2018 will see a packed programme of events in Westminster and across the UK, bringing together policy-makers, local businesses, stakeholders, and leading figures from the industry. With an ambitious 2030 vision and a transformative Sector Deal in discussion, the opportunity has never been greater for offshore wind to reach its full potential.

As an official partner in this year's event, the Catapult will have a presence at many of the events happening throughout the week, including the Offshore Wind Supply Chain and Apprentice Reception in Parliament on Wednesday 21st November. And you can keep an eye on our social channels to find out more about our involvement in this important week for the industry.

 Dates announced for VentureFest North-East

VentureFest, the innovation conference for the north-east of England, is returning to St James' Park on Wednesday 14th November.
 

The conference offers a dynamic programme of hands-on workshops and discussions, which give businesses practical and actionable content, and a range of innovation tools to maximise business outputs.

More than 700 businesses, entrepreneurs and innovators are expected to attend, not only making the most of the varied and fast-paced programme of activity but connecting directly with businesses across a range of commercial prospects. Providing the chance to respond to real problems posed by organisations, live Innovation Challenges at VentureFest North East also give businesses the opportunity to win contracts.

VentureFest North-East is free to attend – for more information and to book, click below.