OWGP awards £2.4m to eleven UK businesses and launches next funding round
- OWGP launches new Development Grant funding call
- £2m available for projects across high value supply chain areas
- Winners of the 2023 funding competition announced
The Offshore Wind Growth Partnership (OWGP) has released its latest Development Grant funding call, with £2 million available for UK businesses looking to accelerate their growth in the offshore wind supply chain.
Funding is available for projects that target at least one of the high-value focus areas identified in the recent Supply Chain Capability Analysis report, commissioned by the Offshore Wind Industry Council (OWIC) and OWGP.
Proposals should align with one of the nine supply chain categories that represent high value opportunities for the UK, including cables, substations and electrical design, steel fabrication, floating wind, development services, offshore services, vessels, blades and rotor assembly and Wind Turbine Generator components.
Melissa Read, Offshore Wind Manager at Equinor and Industry Lead for OWGP said
“We’re delighted to announce the latest development grant, now with a more programmatic focus based on a detailed economic analysis of the supply chain conducted with offshore wind industry experts. While the UK has many strengths, the Supply Chain Capability Analysis was written in recognition that the UK could do more to fully grasp the economic potential offered by its world-leading wind sector – as UK suppliers face fierce international competition for business. With this new targeted fund, we hope to enable more UK-based organisations to play their part in the growth of renewable power in UK and international waters.”
Grants of up to £500,000 are available to cover up to 50% of project costs and will be awarded on a competitive basis. Successful proposals will demonstrate a long-term business plan, and clear ambition to unlock significant growth potential in UK content, jobs, and export opportunities in the offshore wind sector.
More information is available from OWGP who are exhibiting at the Scottish Renewables Offshore Wind conference in Glasgow this week, and at a briefing webinar on Friday 2nd February 2024.You can register for the webinar here.
Today, OWGP also revealed the 11 companies that have secured a share of the £2.4 million funding pot released in May 2023. EchoBolt, Insensys, Unmanned Survey Solutions, Encomara, Quoceant, Technip FMC, Plaswire, CRC Evans, London Marine Consultants, SeaRoc and Windscope have all been awarded OWGP Development Grant Funding to support offshore wind supply chain projects totalling £5m. The successful projects have a key focus on improving capability, increasing competitiveness, and driving forward business growth within the offshore wind sector.
For more information and to apply for funding, visit https://owgp.org.uk/programme/development-grants/
ENDS
Notes to Editor
Image courtesy of EchoBolt – one of the previous grant fund winners.
More detail on the winners of the 2023 funding competition:
|
Business |
Project |
|
Energy Integrity Services Ltd (T/A EchoBolt) |
EchoBolt’s PULSE project will support the development of a new ultrasonic inspection device for industrial fasteners based on in-house technology. |
|
Insensys Limited |
Implementing existing condition monitoring technology to provide further functionality and value to Wind Energy customers, reducing maintenance costs by 0.5p per kWh. |
|
SeaRoc Group Limited |
The SeaPlanner mobile app will enable offshore wind farm teams to efficiently manage tasks, work authorisation, training, daily reporting etc. using mobile devices such as phones and tablets, even if offline. |
|
Plaswire Limited |
Design, build, and commissioning of a single pass automated process plant for end-of-life offshore wind blades. |
|
Windscope |
Onboarding optimisation of Windscope’s AI powered zero-hardware turbine monitoring software. |
|
Encomara Limited |
Design and Qualification of “SQUID” A Universal Mooring & Power Cable Interface for Floating Wind. |
|
Unmanned Survey Solutions Limited |
Providing a step change in company growth enabling an increased capacity to deliver innovative and sustainable USV marine surveys |
|
Quoceant |
Adapting the design of the ‘Q-Connect’ subsea quick connection system to suit the floating wind sector |
|
CRC Evans |
Enhancement of Mechanised Welding Solutions for Floating Offshore Wind. |
|
Technip FMC |
TechnipFMC’s project will simplify and standardise the design, manufacture, and installation of anchors for offshore floating wind turbines, with a particular focus on technologies that support the wider UK supply chain. |
|
London Marine Consultants Ltd (LMC) |
The DISCO BUOYTM is a floating wind disconnectable mooring and cable system, which reduces risk and cost to the offshore installation campaign for initial hook and potential dis-connection for a tow-to-port O&M strategy. |
More detail on the January 2024 Development Grant Funding Competition scope areas:
|
Supply Chain Focus Area |
OWGP Proposal scope: |
|
Cables |
The supply, installation, protection, monitoring and repair of array and export cables. |
|
Substations and electrical design |
The design, supply, installation and O&M of the offshore substation (including foundations) and overall electrical system design. |
|
Steel Fabrication |
The manufacture of monopiles, jackets, towers, floating semi-submersibles and UK steel production. |
|
Floating Wind |
The floater design and fabrication, mooring spreads and anchoring, assembly and installation, dynamic cables and buoyancy (and the lower tiers to support all of this). |
|
Development Services |
The concept design, environmental impact assessment and survey activities. |
|
Offshore Services |
All tasks required offshore to construct, commission and operate and offshore wind farm. |
|
Vessels |
The manufacture, enhancement or upgrade of crew transfer vessels, service operation vessels, heavy lift vessels, remotely operated vessels, anchor handling vessels and autonomous vessels. |
|
Blades & Rotor Assembly |
The manufacture of blades, but also considers the design, repair and recycling of blades and blade material. |
|
Wind Turbine Generator (WTG) Components |
All electrical and ancillary items used within the WTG. |
About the Offshore Wind Growth Partnership
The Offshore Wind Growth Partnership (OWGP) is a long-term business transformation programme that has been established as part of the UK Offshore Wind Sector Deal. It promotes closer collaboration across the supply chain, implements structured productivity improvement programmes and facilitates shared growth opportunities between developers and the supply chain.
OWGP has supported 220 UK companies since the organisation’s inception in 2019. Over 1400 companies have now registered an interest on the OWGP website, where further information on the Development Grants can be found. For more information and to apply for funding or business transformation support, go to https://owgp.org.uk/funding-and-support-opportunities/
With funding from the Offshore Wind Industry Council (OWIC), delivery is focused on direct support to supply chain companies through a combination of , business transformation and grant funding. The Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult is managing the delivery of OWGP with support from specialist delivery partners.
About the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult
ORE Catapult is the UK’s leading innovation centre for offshore renewable energy, established in 2013 by the UK Government as part of a network of Catapults set up by Innovate UK in high growth industries.
Independent and trusted, with a unique combination of world leading test and demonstration facilities, engineering and research expertise, ORE Catapult convenes the sector, delivering applied research, accelerating technology development, reducing risk and cost, and enhancing UK-wide economic growth.
ORE Catapult operates in Glasgow, Blyth, Levenmouth, Aberdeen, the Humber, the East of England, the South West and Wales, and operates a collaborative research partnership in China.
About the Offshore Wind Industry Council (OWIC)
A senior Government and industry forum, OWIC was established in 2013 to drive the development of the world-leading offshore wind sector in the UK.
For further information please contact:
Sam Willstead