An initiative aimed at expanding the US market for UK companies developing technology for the floating offshore wind market is now accepting applications. The UK-US Floating Offshore Wind Supply Chain Innovation Bilateral (FLOWB) program, a collaboration between the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult, Innovate UK, the University of Maine, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), aims to support UK companies in exporting their technologies to the US.
The program offers up to £1.5 million in funding to UK companies developing technologies applicable to floating wind platforms. Participating companies will have the opportunity to collaborate with US floating wind developers and receive grant funding ranging from £300,000 to £500,000, along with technical support from ORE Catapult for 18 months.
Stephen Wyatt, Director of Strategy and Emerging Technologies at ORE Catapult, emphasized the opportunity for UK companies to collaborate with US developers and leverage the UK's early floating supply chain experience. He stated, “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 of Ocean Energy and Engineering at the University of Maine, highlighted the university's expertise in concrete floating wind foundation technology. He expressed excitement about collaborating with the UK supply chain to develop cost-effective solutions for both US and UK developers.
The initiative aims to address emerging technical innovation challenges identified by ORE Catapult, NREL, and the University of Maine, offering a unique opportunity for UK companies to expand their reach in the growing US floating offshore wind market.
