Nine UK businesses have been successful in securing a share of a £3.5 million Development Grant funding pot from the Offshore Wind Growth Partnership (OWGP).
The Development Grants competition launched in December 2021 offering grants up to £1 million to offshore wind supply chain companies for projects that will unlock significant growth potential in UK content, jobs and export opportunities.
Claire Canning, OWGP Programme Manager, said: “We are delighted with the diversity of companies and projects awarded through this funding round. Each one promises to deliver significant impact in the UK’s offshore wind industry through the creation of jobs and the development of new, exportable products and services ready for commercialisation.”
The nine UK winners represent different areas of the offshore wind supply chain, including planning and risk analytics, next generation crew transfer vessels, eco-friendly scour protection and blade recycling.
John Cooper, CEO of winning company BAR Technologies said: “BAR Technologies are a leading simulation led marine design house at the forefront of the decarbonisation of ocean transport. We have just launched the BAR Tech 30 crew transfer vessel and the next generation will be a further step towards using future fuels alongside this super efficient hull form (30% less fuel than an equivalent catamaran). We are delighted to be working alongside the Offshore Wind Growth Partnership to fulfil a further ambition to design, produce and deliver a zero emission daughter craft for delivery of technicians to offshore turbines.”
Melanie Onn, Deputy Chief Executive of RenewableUK, added: “Well targeted grant funding like this is continuing to accelerate the growth and the strength of the UK’s offshore wind supply chain. It’s great to see so many UK companies already benefitting from the support available through the Offshore Wind Growth Partnership, enabling them to develop products and services which will help to revolutionise the way we build, operate and maintain our world-class offshore wind farms – as well as exporting our much sought-after goods and expertise to new projects around the world.”
The OWGP is delivered by the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult and funded by the Offshore Wind Industry Council (OWIC). It’s grant funding portfolio consists of 51 projects, each bringing tangible benefits to the UK offshore wind sector, creating jobs and unlocking UK export opportunities. This number is expected to grow exponentially over the next decade as a pipeline of competitive funding rounds and business transformation initiatives are delivered, enabling significant UK supply chain growth to 2030 and beyond. The OWGP plan to launch another funding competition later this year with a total pot of £2m to be won.
