Fifteen businesses in the UK have been awarded a total of £2 million in Innovation Grant funding from the Offshore Wind Growth Partnership (OWGP). The selected companies will receive support from OWGP for projects aimed at enhancing the reliability of offshore wind operations and contributing to their decarbonization. The OWGP is a long-term initiative established in 2019 to foster the growth of the UK's offshore wind supply chain.
As part of its efforts, OWGP is also launching a separate Development Grant program with a £2 million budget, providing up to £500,000 for UK applicants who can demonstrate significant growth potential in the offshore wind sector. The funding and structured business support programs offered by OWGP have already resulted in successful commercialization of UK products, contract wins, and exports, benefiting participants seeking to establish or expand their presence in the offshore wind market.
The recent round of Innovation Grant funding focuses on addressing challenges related to reliability and decarbonization in offshore wind operations. The selected projects encompass various innovative solutions, such as charging stations for electric vessels operating offshore, software for accurate weather prediction at sea, and robots and remotely operated vehicles for wind turbine inspection and analysis.
The funding competitions and business transformation programs of OWGP are financed by members of the Offshore Wind Industry Council (OWIC) and implemented by the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult. The latest Innovation Grant has received support from leading developers Equinor, Ocean Winds, and ScottishPower Renewables, which have global portfolios in the offshore wind sector.
Sophie Banham, Offtake Director for Dogger Bank D Wind Farm at Equinor and Vice-Chair of the Offshore Wind Industry Council, highlighted the diverse range of organizations that participated in OWGP's latest competition, demonstrating the UK's supply chain's ability to support the growth of wind power. Banham emphasized that the outputs of the Innovation Grant could lead to the emergence of new technologies in the UK, addressing critical challenges in the offshore wind sector. She praised the collaboration between innovators in the UK supply chain and offshore wind developers, citing projects like the Dogger Bank Wind Farm and other wind farm developments in the country. Banham acknowledged the valuable role played by organizations like OWGP in fostering partnerships and leveraging expertise to drive world-leading renewable energy projects forward.
The newly launched OWGP Development Grants, which offer up to £500,000 per project, are open to applications from UK applicants until July 21, 2023.
