£10 million grants for UK offshore wind technology

Monday, 05 July 2010 06:56

Image: EWEA / Dervaux

The first round of grants since the Budget for developing next-generation offshore wind technology are announced today (Monday 5 July) by the Department of Energy and Climate Change. Secretary of State Chris Huhne will announce the grants, totalling £10 million in a speech at the launch of the International Energy Agency's Energy Technology Perspective report. £5 million of grants will be awarded to 7 UK companies and aim to increase the UK supply chain for offshore wind. A £5 million grant for Siemens Windpower, applied for under a previous round of funding was also confirmed today. Siemens will use the money to develop a next-generation 6MW offshore turbine with an integrated foundation design in the UK.

Secretary of State Chris Huhne will say: "Offshore wind will be very significant in the energy mix as we move to low carbon, sustainable energy supplies. The UK has a wealth of natural resource and coastlines for offshore wind. We are already world leaders in building offshore wind but we must do much, much more. These investments can help our own businesses reap the benefits of renewable energy and help lower costs to consumers. That's why it's important that we support UK supply chain companies even in these tough economic times with grants to help them develop technologies to fit the emerging market."

The successful companies for the grants are:

* JDR Cable Systems Ltd - Hartlepool; High Voltage Export & array cables for distribution of power from next generation, multi Megawatt turbines; £2,000,000

* Cooper Rolling Bearings - Kings Lynn Norfolk; Develop and demonstrate the use of split bearing technology in large scale wind applications; £256,250

* South Boats Special Projects Ltd - Isle of Wight; Modular design of offshore wind farm support vessels; £300,000

* MTL Group - Sheffield; Develop mass manufacturing techniques for jacket and monopile sub-assemblies; £250,000

* Blade Dynamics - Isle of Wight; Develop and demonstrate use of modular blade assembly; £400,000

* NGentec - Edinburgh; Develop and demonstrate new innovative 6MW generator; £800,000

* Converteam - Rugby; Large scale DC conversion technology; £1,000,000