Following The Crown Estate’s announcement of a competition for the offshore land rights of the Blyth Offshore Demonstrator project, the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult will in parallel shortly be launching a process for the sale of the remaining complementary assets, comprising primarily of the grid connection, associated onshore land rights and wind data.
ORE Catapult is seeking to dispose of 100% of the shares of its interest in the project, developed by the National Renewable Energy Centre (Narec), which will enable construction of a 99MW offshore wind test and demonstration site.
Commenting on the sale, ORE Catapult Operations Director Tony Quinn, said: “With its world-class testing and demonstration facilities at the National Renewable Energy Centre (Narec) in Blyth, the ORE Catapult will work closely and constructively with the eventual successful bidder for the Blyth Offshore Demonstration project for the good of the whole sector.”
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Notes to Editors
Further information about the Demonstration Project
The Blyth Offshore Wind Demonstration Project, developed to consent by the National Renewable Energy Centre (Narec), is regarded as key in helping to lower the costs associated with Round 3 offshore wind farms. It has successfully overcome all of the early stage development risks, achieving dual planning consents for the construction of the offshore wind farm and the onshore substation in 2013.
This site, for 15 turbines in three arrays in depths of 35m, 45m and 55m presents an excellent opportunity for a developer to trial their technology cost-effectively in realistic environmental conditions before commercial production.
The Offshore Anemometry Platform installed in 2012 and located 3 nautical miles off Blyth will remain an ORE Catapult asset from which research and development projects and data licensing services will continue to be offered. This will allow them to provide clients and customers with vital testing, calibration and verification services of new wind turbine equipment in order to prove reliability and performance in the offshore environment.