FLOWB
FLOWB is a strategic Floating Wind Supply Chain Acceleration Programme led by ORE Catapult in conjunction with Innovate UK. ORE Catapult are working with NREL and University of Maine to advance UK and US collaborations on Floating Offshore Wind.
The UK is a global leader in the floating offshore wind (FOW) industry, as we are currently commercialising some of the first industrial scale project developments. The scale of the FOW challenge presents a huge export opportunity for the UK as other countries aim to follow in our footsteps.
FLOWB is supporting UK entities establish links and commercial opportunities in the United States and helping accelerate the research and development phases of their FOW supply chain technologies. The technologies developed will not only be vital to the UK FOW supply chain but the United States and global supply chains as well.
KEY PROGRAMME OBJECTIVES
What are we doing?
FLOWB is a £2 million programme supporting the UK floating offshore wind (FOW) supply chain. Up to £1 million will fund UK companies to develop innovative technologies and collaborate with NREL and the University of Maine. The remaining £1 million will be used to identify the strengths of the UK FOW supply chain and review US partner projects to uncover opportunities for UK industry involvement.
How are we doing it?
Through collaboration with the Advanced Research Project Agency for Energy (ARPA-E), the FLOWB Programme aims to accelerate activity between US Floating Wind Foundation researchers, NREL, the University of Maine, and experienced UK supply chain companies, innovators and researchers.
What do we want to achieve?
Through FLOWB, we’re providing up to £1m in grant funding to increase commercialisation opportunities for two UK SMEs developing innovative technology for the floating offshore wind market.
We also aim to understand and publicise the US export opportunities for UK FOW supply chain companies and share technical knowledge and understanding between UK and US partners to bolster the development of key FOW technologies.
FUNDED COMPANIES
The FLOWB programme has provided funding for two innovative UK SMEs aiming to commercialise technologies for the floating offshore wind market.
DUBLIN OFFSHORE
Dublin Offshore is a global leader in mooring system innovation. Its Load Reduction Device (LRD) aims to revolutionise the design and delivery of permanent mooring systems. LRD optimises moorings by improving performance while reducing cost, risk and addressing supply chain challenges.
The funding from FLOWB will support the LOADCERT project, which Dublin Offshore is undertaking with the University of Maine (UMaine). The 18-month project’s activities include the mooring analysis and the mechanical design and manufacture of the LRD at a prototype scale.
SEATHOR
SeaThor brings engineering and technical solutions to its customers, with a focus on cables and their ancillary hardware. Providing product design, selection and analysis services, including global configuration analysis and component level analysis, SeaThor apply expert knowledge and patented CableSpring technology to ensure dynamic cable designs and configurations are robust.
Through the FLOWB programme, SeaThor will, in collaboration with NREL, industrially research and develop its innovative cable protection system, CableSpring, for application to offshore and FOW projects.
SPONSOR TESTIMONIALS
Innovate UK is pleased to support this ORE Catapult led initiative. These cutting-edge innovation projects address key offshore wind research needs. Using Innovate UK funding, these UK-US collaborative research partnerships will advance offshore wind as a reliable, efficient and low-cost renewable energy source, boosting the sector both in the UK and the US. Such initiatives are critical in decarbonising our energy systems and simultaneously keeping costs as low as possible for consumers.”
Innovate UK is pleased to support this ORE Catapult led initiative. These cutting-edge innovation projects address key offshore wind research needs. Using Innovate UK funding, these UK-US collaborative research partnerships will advance offshore wind as a reliable, efficient and low-cost renewable energy source, boosting the sector both in the UK and the US. Such initiatives are critical in decarbonising our energy systems and simultaneously keeping costs as low as possible for consumers.”
Roger Townsend
Innovation Lead, Innovate UK
SPONSORS
FLOWB is delighted to be supported and sponsored by:
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