The UK’s Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult and Equinor announced an agreement to “tackle some of the biggest challenges facing the offshore renewables sector”. The organisations stated a joint aim to collectively invest in technology readiness for offshore wind, and to focus on developing skills in the industry, on operations and maintenance initiatives, on improving turbine reliability/performance and on energy integration.
The partnership builds on previous collaboration between the two organisations. Equinor is the Norwegian state-owned energy company, while the Catapult Network is a series of organisations set up by the British government to support business in key sectors. Equinor is also the operator of Dogger Bank, which is located in UK waters and will become the world’s largest wind farm.
Tony Quinn, ORE Catapult’s Technology Development Director said, “With a long history of collaboration between ORE Catapult and Equinor, this agreement was a logical next step that we are very excited to see come to fruition. Supporting Equinor in developing solutions to key challenges for the sector, across skills, O&M and energy integration in particular, will generate exciting outcomes for the industry moving forward.”
Trine Borum Bojsen, Senior Vice President – North Sea Renewables at Equinor said, “We are delighted to strengthen our partnership with ORE Catapult, building on our relationship developed in North East England and around our floating wind project, Hywind Scotland, where we have previously collaborated to share data. We look forward to working together on initiatives across the UK that will help to develop a more competitive UK supply chain, deliver new innovations and support the talent of tomorrow entering the industry”.
