Energy transformations Offshore Wind OFFSHORE WIND

• Offshore wind energy could supply over 20 per cent of the UK’s energy needs by 2050 • The RCUK Energy Programme has a vibrant research portfolio of £14.3 million in wind energy, involving nine major industrial partners • EPSRC support has contributed to advances in wind turbine reliability, control, drive train design, wind farm formation and deployment

The UK has a high potential wind and RCUK Energy portfolio the companies directly and other power resource around its coast. (£14.3 million; 1.7 per cent of total)3. funding sources, including the Energy Offshore wind energy generation is The current portfolio of wind energy Technologies Institute (ETI), Innovate a proven technology to capture this projects features collaborations UK (formerly the Technology Strategy resource and is likely to form the with nine major industry partners, Board), and the European Union. bulk of the UK’s renewable energy including Alstom Grid, DONG Energy, deployment in the next 20 to 30 years. E.ON UK, National Renewable Energy The programme has had particular It is estimated that wind energy Centre (Narec), Siemens Wind Power, pre-commercial impact in the areas could supply over 20 per cent of the Vestas, Windurance, formerly MLS of wind turbine reliability, condition 1 UK’s energy needs by 2050 , whilst Control Systems, and the consulting monitoring, turbine pitch and drive helping us to meet the greenhouse engineers DNV GL, formerly Garrad control, blade composite structures, gas emission and renewable energy Hassan, and Romax Technology, offshore wind turbine wake formation targets set out in the 2007 energy together with a number of other and foundation scour, offshore wind 2 white paper . important industrial collaborators. farm layout, network design and Wind energy research is a relatively These projects have led to direct cash high-voltage direct current (HVDC) small but vibrant part of the EPSRC leverage of over £11 million from network technology. Research

• The RCUK Energy Programme industrial collaborations have also including INSIGHT, on the monitoring OFFSHORE WIND has invested £18.4 million in wind been formed by the University of of the structural integrity of wind energy research and training Bristol with Vestas on composites, the turbine towers during operation using since 2002 University of Sheffield with Siemens ultrasonic waves. This project was led Wind Power on generators and with by TWI Ltd, and involved the University • The flagship investment has been Vestas on control, and the University of Warwick and multiple industry the SUPERGEN Wind Energy of Durham with DONG Energy on partners. The ultrasonic monitoring Technologies consortium, from wind farm operations. SUPERGEN system was successfully developed March 2014 the SUPERGEN Wind has also played its part in and trialled by TWI and TUV NEL Ltd Wind Hub interacting with other SUPERGEN at an onshore installation in Scotland. • The UK Energy Research Centre networks, particularly SUPERGEN A further jointly funded project, on a has developed modelling and Marine, and has collaborated with direct current micro-grid system for evaluation methods for assessing UKERC in producing a new Wind interfacing multiple wind turbines, the environmental and socio- Road Map, and with the Natural involved the University of Strathclyde, economic impact of offshore Environment Research Council and industry partners Proven Energy energy production technologies, (NERC) through its contacts with the Ltd and Scottish and Southern Energy including offshore wind farms Centre for Environment, Fisheries (SSE) plc. and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) for • NERC and the Department for foundation scour work. EPSRC is the largest public funder Environment, Food & Rural of the Energy Technologies Institute Affairs (Defra) in partnership have funded four projects under the Marine Renewable Energy research programme (£2.4 million), whose aim is to understand the environmental benefits and risks of upscaling offshore renewable energy schemes Wind power generation is a relatively mature technology, although research challenges remain, particularly for the deployment offshore of large wind farms, with the aim of reducing capital and operational costs, increasing performance, and driving down the cost of the generated power. Current research topics include composites, novel turbine designs, drive trains, reliability and array design and control. There are also associated research issues around The consortium has also joined (ETI), and academic groups from environmental impact, equipment and played a major role in the four universities, the Universities deployment and operational development and growth of the of Strathclyde and Sheffield, and management. European Academy of Wind Energy Durham and Cranfield Universities, 5 The RCUK Energy Programme, (EAWE) ; the Principal Investigator have been partners in a number led by EPSRC, has invested £18.4 of SUPERGEN Wind, Professor of the major offshore wind energy million in wind energy research and Bill Leithead, was President of the projects the ETI has supported to training since its inception in 20024. organisation from 2010 to 2012. This date. These projects have included The flagship investments in the field involvement resulted in the expansion NOVA, looking at a novel vertical sponsored by the programme have of the Academy to include the UK, axis wind turbine developed by Wind been the successive generations of Norway, Sweden, France and Italy, Power Ltd (Strathclyde, Cranfield the Sustainable Power Generation with EAWE playing a major role in the and Sheffield); Helm Wind, looking and Supply (SUPERGEN) Wind Annual European Association of Wind at the potential cost savings in the Energy Conferences from 2010-2014 Energy Technologies consortium, development of an offshore wind in Brussels, Warsaw, Copenhagen, building on and allied to previous power station (Strathclyde); and the Vienna and Barcelona. investments made by EPSRC and Condition Monitoring Programme, the other Research Councils. More EPSRC has sponsored a number examining causes of faults in details of this programme are given of offshore wind projects in offshore wind turbines (Strathclyde in the following sections. Important collaboration with Innovate UK, and Durham). UK Energy Research Centre

The UK Energy Research Centre investigated. (UKERC), sponsored by the RCUK Building on Energy Programme, carries these work out world-class research into strands, UKERC sustainable future energy systems. researchers UKERC’s interdisciplinary, whole have used an systems research informs UK area within the policy development and research North Sea off strategy. Under its Phase 2 Energy the east coast of and Environment theme, the UKERC England as a test team developed modelling and bed to forecast evaluation methods for assessing the the potential of environmental and socio-economic offshore wind to provide ecosystem pressures to ease and for new market impact of offshore energy production goods and services to society, entrants to provide competitive technologies, including offshore wind taking into account downstream pressure on costs. However, there farms and other energy activities implications. UKERC also carried out are still a number of factors placing such as carbon capture and storage research on offshore network design upward pressure on costs, not least (CCS). This work allows evaluation under their Phase 2 Energy Supply the implications of moving to even of the cumulative impacts of energy research theme. more challenging locations.8 A key technologies and interactions challenge is to reconcile the scale 6,7 A UKERC technology and policy with other coastal activities. The and pace of development desired for assessment on the cost of offshore potential of offshore wind farms to UK offshore wind with the potential provide socio-economic benefits wind in UK waters was published growth rate that the supply chain through multiple uses and improved in 2012. The authors of the report can sustain without creating upward ecosystem services – including concluded: ‘In the period to 2025… pressure on costs.9 habitat creation, fish stock recovery there is potential for innovation and recreational fishing – was also to reduce costs, for supply chain

NERC-Defra Marine Renewable Energy Programme (2011-2015)

The Marine Renewable Energy considered using state-of-the-art above and under water, ranging research programme is a four-year modelling techniques to assess the from radar to sonar and in-situ collaborative programme with a levels of ecological impact across a measurements, to be deployed over budget of £2.4 million funded by range of key ecological parameters. two years at three key sites around Natural Environment Research Understanding how marine the UK. Council and the Department for renewable device operations These measurements will feed into Environment, Food & Rural Affairs. influence fine scale habitat use & models of ecological interactions The overall aim of the research behaviour of marine vertebrates and habitat preferences, allowing programme is to understand the led by the University of St Andrews. predictions of the multiple effects environmental benefits and risks of This project focuses on causal links of large offshore renewable energy upscaling offshore wind and wave between offshore renewable energy device arrays. energy schemes on the quality of devices and changes in the fine-scale Quantifying benefits and impacts marine bio-resources (including distribution and behaviour of marine of fishing exclusion zones around biodiversity) and biophysical dynamics vertebrates. marine renewable energy of open coasts. The following projects The overall aim of the project is to installations led by the Marine have been supported under identify and quantify actual risk of Biological Association. The project the programme: negative consequences and therefore seeks to quantify the extent to Optimising array form for energy remove one key layer of uncertainty which ‘spillover’ of bio-resource extraction & environmental benefit in the scale of risk to the industry and abundance, i.e. fish and invertebrate led by the University of Edinburgh. natural environment. species, enhances adjacent areas as This project aims to establish and Flow, water column & benthic a consequence of fishing exclusions evaluate a design feedback process ecology 4D led by the National within and around offshore renewable which can protect and perhaps Oceanography Centre. This project energy installations. enhance the natural environment, aims at measuring flow, water Novel technologies are used to while allowing energy extraction to column and benthic ecology in four determine the spatial movements of be maximised. Engineers will work dimensions, to assess the potential fish and shellfish across a wide-range with project and device developers to effects of offshore renewable energy of spatio-temporal scales, spanning establish appropriate development devices on the environment. It uses metres to hundreds of kilometres and scenarios which will then be a wealth of observation techniques minutes to years. SuperGen Wind Phase 1 (2006-2010)

The aim of SUPERGEN Wind can be summarised as follows: • Effects on radar: Computationally Energy Technologies Phase 1 was efficient models were developed • Turbine reliability: 75 per cent to undertake research to improve for studying the impact of wind of onshore turbine failures were the cost-effective reliability and turbines on marine navigational found to be responsible for radar. Novel materials were availability of existing and future only five per cent of the annual developed to reduce the wind large-scale wind turbine systems in downtime; the remaining 25 per the UK. cent of failures cause 95 per turbine radar cross-section and decrease susceptibility to Scientific and technological advances cent of the downtime [see case lightning strikes, without causing were made in wind turbine reliability, study 1] any reduction in blade strength condition monitoring, turbine • Condition monitoring: The control, wake effects, reducing radar strengths and weaknesses • Turbine blade strength and cross-section, reducing lightning of commercially available durability: New composite susceptibility, improving turbine wind turbine monitoring materials were developed blade strength and foundation packages were reviewed and which increase blade structure durability. the results disseminated to the lifetime by five times, while simultaneously increasing Partners and objectives wind industry. New condition monitoring techniques were toughness in bonded The first phase of the SUPERGEN developed to improve early fault connections. This has improved Wind Energy Technologies detection on the 25 per cent of damage tolerance without consortium was led by Strathclyde faults that cause major downtime accompanying disruption in blade and Durham universities and included manufacturing processes Loughborough and Manchester • Turbine control: Reduction of • Turbine material properties: a Metropolitan universities, the wind turbine loads can improve parametric blade model was Universities of Manchester and reliability, reduce weight developed for the assessment of Surrey, Royal Holloway, University of and increase efficiency. The innovative materials, condition London, and the Rutherford Appleton consortium developed control monitoring effectiveness, and Laboratory. The consortium brought design improvements which blade performance together nine research groups with reduced loads by 15-18 per cent expertise in wind turbine technology, without compromising turbine • Offshore turbine foundations: aerodynamics, hydrodynamics, performance One of the chief risks for offshore materials, electrical machines and • Turbine wake effects: Wake wind farm developments is control, reliability, and condition effects from one wind turbine can environmental damage of the monitoring. significantly affect performance foundations, known as scour. The overall aim of Phase 1 was of further turbines in an array. A detailed understanding of to undertake research to improve The consortium carried out the relationships between the the cost-effective reliability and a wide-ranging programme hydrodynamics, sea bed profile, availability of existing and future of wind tunnel simulations and pile geometry is required for large-scale wind turbine systems in and measurements in the scour mitigation. The consortium the UK atmospheric boundary layer, took detailed flow measurements leading to the development of from a series of tank experiments Impact and outcomes a detailed numerical model to and developed a new, efficient The key achievements of the inform future design of turbines numerical model of current- SUPERGEN Phase 1 Wind consortium and arrays induced scour SuperGen Wind Phase 2 (2010-2014)

The aim of SUPERGEN Wind Energy reliable and available offshore wind specifically on the individual wind Technologies Phase 2 was to power station, with research turbine, building on the research of undertake research to achieve an focused on the following SUPERGEN Wind Phase 1. integrated, cost-effective, reliable overarching objectives: & available offshore wind power The third theme focused on the station. • Reliability connection to shore, including the • Resource estimation performance of the wind turbines Scientific and technological advances in the array and the offshore were made in wind turbine operation • Scaling up of turbine size collection system. In the third and and maintenance, turbine and blade fourth years of the programme, the control, and HVDC offshore wind • Connection and grid results of these three themes fed farm connection networks. capacity issues into research considering the wind Partners and objectives • Reducing lifetime costs farm as a power station, looking at The second phase of the SUPERGEN The work programme consisted how the power station should be Wind Energy Technologies of three parallel themes during its designed, operated and maintained programme included an additional first two years. The first theme dealt for optimum reliability and economic partner at the University of Warwick. with research into the physics and viability. Outcomes and impacts In this phase the consortium aimed to engineering of the offshore wind from SUPERGEN Wind Phase 2 are achieve an integrated, cost-effective, farm. The second theme focused summarised in Case Study 2. Case study 1: Reliability, operations and maintenance for offshore wind farms

SUPERGEN Wind Phase 1 identified defects may lead to longer downtime, Work by SUPERGEN Wind Phases early the importance to the industry aggravated by difficult access. 1 and 2 has produced much-quoted of wind turbine reliability if we This in turn has led to a drive to surveys on installed condition are to extract this energy offshore improve operations and maintenance monitoring and SCADA (supervisory economically. This led to seminal performance. control and data acquisition) work on benchmarking wind turbine A number of industrial developments systems. and wind performance, which have occurred in parallel with this identified that onshore 75 per cent It has also led to the development of work, including the establishment of defects cause only five per cent a wind turbine condition monitoring of the wind and marine 3MW and downtime, whereas 25 per cent test rig at Durham University, shown 15MW drive train test rigs and long of defects cause 95 per cent of below. turbine blade test rigs at the National downtime. Renewable Energy Centre (Narec) to This rig is being used to benchmark The corollary to this work is that test component performance before and inform the work done on the offshore a large number of small installation offshore. larger industrial test rigs. SuperGen Wind Hub (2014-2019) Priorities for the SUPERGEN Wind most effective and efficient operation in the UK, is capable not only of Hub include: of wind farms will require them to simulating atmospheric boundary act as virtual conventional power • Wind farm operating environment layers, but also of stratifying the air plants flexibly responding to the flow to provide a realistic range of • Grid integration with the current conditions, the wind turbines’ atmospheric boundary conditions, AC network state and operational demands something which is particularly • Holistic wind farm control and grid-integration requirements. important when analysing offshore The programme of research for the wind speeds. • Wind farm operations and SUPERGEN Wind Energy Hub focuses management on all of these topics, both at the level Researchers from Lancaster and Hull universities collaborated with • Turbine technology – very of single farms and clusters of farms. the SUPERGEN consortium to long blades Facilities test the potential effects of scour • Wind foundation systems of wind turbine structures in the • A model wind farm array wind Total Environment Simulator (TES) Partners and objectives tunnel test rig has been deployed at The Deep Aquarium in Hull. at the Environmental Flow In March 2014 the SUPERGEN A scale model of a wind turbine Research Centre, University Wind activities moved to the hub monopile was placed in the channel, of Surrey and spoke model now followed enabling detailed information to across the SUPERGEN programme. • Offshore wind turbine scour be gathered regarding the impact The Hub consortium is led by the modelling tests have been carried made on the tidal flow downstream University of Strathclyde, with all out at the Total Environment and how scour takes place. The partners in SUPERGEN Wind Phase 2 Simulator in Hull exercise was repeated using a represented, and joined by Cranfield range of environmental conditions University. The SUPERGEN Wind Hub • A wind turbine condition and modified monopile designs. aims to address the medium-term monitoring test rig has been A monopile with concentric discs challenges of scaling up to multiple established at Durham around its base was found to reduce wind farms, considering how to • A large wind turbine drive train vortex developments downstream. better build, operate and maintain test rig is under development multi-GW arrays of wind turbines, at the National Renewable A wind turbine condition monitoring whilst providing a reliable source Energy Centre (Narec) site of test rig has been established at of electricity whose characteristics the Offshore Renewable Energy Durham University in collaboration can be effectively integrated into a Catapult with the National Renewable Energy modern power system. The wind Centre (Narec), which is now part resource over both short and long RCUK funding has enabled a of the Offshore Renewable Energy number of facility deployments and terms, the interaction of wakes within Catapult funded by Innovate UK [see developments relevant to the offshore a wind farm, and the turbine loads case study 1]. and their impact on reliability all need wind sector. The SUPERGEN wind to be better understood. The layout consortium has developed a model Partly funded by EPSRC, ETI has of the farms, including foundations, wind farm array test rig for use at supported the establishment of impact on radar and power systems, the Environmental Flow Research a large wind turbine drive train and shore-connection issues, needs Centre (EnFlo) wind tunnel, funded test rig at the Narec site (Blyth, to be optimised. As noted above, the by NERC. This wind tunnel, unique Northumberland). Case study 2: SuperGen Wind Phase 2 impact and outcomes

The SUPERGEN Wind Consortium under Phase 1 was further of fast DC circuit breakers at has produced a large number of developed for extreme blade high DC voltages is important highly cited publications, summarised load reduction. Further funding in the development of future in monographs available on the has been obtained from DECC to offshore grids and the large- web and including surveys, leading demonstrate the technology with scale integration of wind energy. edge research propositions in line an OEM to enable exploitation. Part of the SUPERGEN work with the consortium aims, and This technology is also being stream focused on this topic, two books aimed at enhancing the considered for tidal and partners at Manchester understanding of offshore wind stream turbines developed a new circuit breaker power. Specific outcomes have for HVDC applications. A patent • High-voltage direct current included the following: application was filed in 2013 (HVDC) technologies: HVDC • Turbine control: Partners at technologies have developed • Wind farm operation and Strathclyde developed generic significantly during the course of condition monitoring: New controllers which decouple the project, and the research of condition monitoring the power generated by a the consortium has contributed techniques for gearboxes, wind turbine from the power to the understanding of these generators and pitch systems extracted from the wind. Possible changes by providing models have been developed and exploitations are the provision and modelling techniques. These demonstrated; a new approach of services to the grid, including have fed directly into the Guide to the management of wind farm synthetic inertia, and flexible for Development of Models for operations and maintenance data operation of the wind farms. This HVDC Converters in an HVDC has been developed; and partners technology is being exploited by a Grid published by Cigré working at Durham are developing a major OEM wind turbine supplier group B4-57, the industry body new approach to operations and • Individual blade control: The for this subject area. In addition maintenance of wind farms with a blade control technology patented it was identified that the lack major offshore operator RCUK and the Wind auspices of the Low Carbon (ORE) Catapult, funded by Innovate Innovation Coordination Group UK, is founded on the UK energy Energy Landscape (LCICG), of which EPSRC is a core research capacity built up by the member on behalf of the Research RCUK Energy Programme, in • EPSRC is a core member of Councils. EPSRC was closely involved particular through successive the Low Carbon Innovation in the preparation of the Technology SUPERGEN consortia. For example, Coordination Group (LCICG) on Innovation Needs Assessment (TINA) the ORE research advisory group behalf of the Research Councils. for wind energy published in 2012 contains a great deal of SUPERGEN A Technology Innovation Needs and revised in 2015, both directly and expertise, and is expected to provide Assessment (TINA) for offshore through the input of key members of a conduit for commercialisation of wind energy was published by the academic research community. SUPERGEN Wind (and Marine) the LCICG in 2012 and revised in EPSRC also contributed to the LCICG energy technologies. 2015, to which SUPERGEN Strategic Framework, published in Wind contributed February 2014, which includes a 10 • The new Offshore Renewable section on wind energy. Energy Catapult is founded upon EPSRC contributed to the the energy research capacity development of the Department built up by the RCUK for Business, Innovation and Skills Energy Programme Offshore Wind Industrial Strategy, EPSRC has strong connections in published in August 2013, and is marine energy with the Department represented on the Skills Group of the for Energy and Climate Change Offshore Wind Industry Council. (DECC), in particular under the The Offshore Renewable Energy

Skilled people

• SUPERGEN Wind Phases 1 and 2 Energy Centre for Doctoral Training In 2013 and 2014 EPSRC announced supported 26 doctoral students. (CDT), led by the University of four new Centres for Doctoral First destinations of graduates Strathclyde. This centre aims to train Training with a clear relevance to have included HVPD Ltd, DNV cohorts of future research leaders the offshore wind sector. These GL (formerly Garrad Hassan), GE for the wind energy sector, and has centres will ensure a continuing Power Conversion, RES, Romax worked closely with DNV GL, Romax, supply of highly trained scientists and Technology, DONG Energy, E.ON Scottish Power, Siemens, SSE and engineers between 2014 and 2023 UK, Siemens Wind Power, Vestas other wind energy stakeholders. The with skills focused on the deployment and Windurance centre has covered a broad range of offshore wind technologies and of topics including turbine control, their integration into the power • The UK Wind Energy Centre for condition monitoring, operations and network. The first of these is a Doctoral Training (CDT) at the management, power networks and continuation of the Strathclyde- University of Strathclyde has electrical systems, aerodynamics and led centre, the EPSRC Centre for been training cohorts of potential resource management. Case Study 3 Doctoral Training in Wind and Marine research leaders since 2009 gives a profile of Dr Conaill Soraghan, Energy Systems, in partnership with • EPSRC co-funds the Industrial a graduate of the Wind Energy CDT. the University of Edinburgh. A second Doctorate Centre in Offshore centre, led by Cranfield University EPSRC also jointly funds the Renewable Energy (IDCORE) with in partnership with the University of Industrial Doctorate Centre in ETI, based at the Universities Oxford, focuses on renewable energy Offshore Renewable Energy of Exeter, Edinburgh and marine structures. (IDCORE) with ETI. IDCORE is a Strathclyde partnership of the Universities of The other two centres focus on future • Four further CDTs have been Edinburgh, Strathclyde and Exeter, power networks; one is based at The supported from 2014 the Scottish Association for Marine University of Manchester, and one is Science and HR Wallingford. led by the University of Strathclyde The first and second phases of Based in leading UK offshore in partnership with Imperial College SUPERGEN Wind trained 26 doctoral energy research universities and London. students. First destinations of institutes, the IDCORE programme graduates have included High Voltage trains industrially focused research Partial Discharge (HVPD) Ltd, DNV GL engineers who will, with the help of (formerly Garrad Hassan), GE Power sponsoring companies, accelerate Conversion, RES, Romax Technology, the deployment of offshore wind, DONG Energy, E.ON UK, Siemens wave and tidal-current technologies Wind Power, Vestas and Windurance. in order to meet the UK’s renewable In 2009 EPSRC funded the UK Wind energy targets. Case study 3 – Profile: Dr Conaill Soraghan, Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult

Following an benchmarking performance and In addition to presenting at various undergraduate reliability of operational offshore international conferences I also degree in wind farms. completed a summer placement at Mathematics at Over 50 per cent of the installed the Technical University of Denmark the University capacity of offshore wind farms in UK Risoe Campus.” of St Andrews waters are already providing data into EPSRC Centres for Doctoral and a Masters the system. Training (CDTs) in Applied Mathematics at “I’m also interested in applying the In 2013-14 EPSRC funded 115 new the University experience and best practice gained EPSRC Centres for Doctoral Training of Cambridge, Conaill Soraghan in offshore wind O&M to the fledging in 33 UK lead universities, training embarked on a PhD in the Centre tidal sector.” 8,500 postgraduate students. It is for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Wind CDT training the UK’s largest-ever investment in Energy Systems at the University of postgraduate training in engineering Strathclyde in October 2009. Conaill’s training in the CDT in Wind and physical sciences, bringing Energy Systems provided him with the total investment to £950 As part of his research into a deep technical understanding in aerodynamics and control of million – £450 million of which wind turbine design, performance has been contributed by industry, innovative wind turbines, Conaill and control through working developed software to predict the other partners and the universities collaboratively with a network of themselves. performance of novel wind academic experts. energy systems. CDTs bring together diverse areas He says: “The format of the PhD Keen to further his interest in the of expertise to train engineers and programme at the EPSRC Centre scientists with the skills, knowledge potential of technologies to harness for Doctoral Training (CDT), where renewable energy offshore, following and confidence to tackle today’s the first year of the course was a evolving issues. They also create new the successful completion of his PhD taught Masters in Renewable Energy in 2014, Conaill successfully applied working cultures, build relationships Systems, was ideal for someone for the post of Renewable Technology between teams in universities and like me with a background outside Engineer at the Offshore Renewable forge lasting links with industry. engineering. Energy (ORE) Catapult. Catapult centres “The first year provided a detailed Created in 2013, the ORE Catapult, introduction to all aspects of wind Catapults are technology and which is funded by Innovate UK, energy systems, from electricity innovation centres funded by aims to accelerate the development, generation and wind turbine Innovate UK where the best of UK testing, commercialisation and technology to the politics and businesses, scientists and engineers deployment of offshore wind, wave economics of renewable energy can work together on research and and tidal technologies in the UK. systems. I now feel comfortable development. Conaill says: “I am part of the engaging with a wide range of The Catapults work closely with a innovation engineering team within stakeholders from the renewable range of academic and industrial the ORE Catapult with a particular sector. partners, and have close relationships interest in the operations and “In addition to the world-class with EPSRC Centres for Innovative maintenance (O&M) of offshore research facilities and academic staff, Manufacturing, with the aim of renewable assets. the CDT, which now encompasses transforming ideas into new products “I have a multifaceted role, which wind, wave and tidal technologies, and services to generate economic includes project creation, technical has a strong focus on nurturing well- growth. To date seven Catapults engineering support, due diligence rounded and professional engineers. have been launched, ranging from of technology innovation concepts For example, we often meet up developing cell therapy technologies and representing the ORE Catapult with other CDT cohorts to share to high value manufacturing and at a variety of industry and knowledge and experience, and to satellite applications. academic forums. hone our presentation skills. Catapults use the power of people “One key project I’m working on “There are also outreach and organisations working together. is the development of the SPARTA opportunities throughout the year These partnerships create new data sharing platform. This project including workshops at the Glasgow opportunities, reduce innovation involves creating a database and Science Centre, presentations at risk, and help take new products and web system for collecting and schools, and various industrial visits. services to market. The Research Councils UK Energy Programme aims to position the UK to meet its energy and environmental targets and policy goals through world-class research and training. The Energy Programme is investing more than £625 million in research and skills to pioneer a low carbon future. This builds on an investment of £839 million over the past eight years (December 2011). Led by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the Energy Programme brings together the work of EPSRC and that of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC).

1 Low Carbon Innovation Coordination Group Technology Innovation Needs Assessment for Offshore Wind Energy, February 2012, available to download at https://www. gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/48279/4467-tina-offshore-wind-summary.pdf

2 http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http:/www.berr.gov.uk/energy/whitepaper/page39534.html

3 As of April 2014. This total includes the UK Wind Energy Centre for Doctoral Training, but not other Centres for Doctoral Training that are also closely relevant to other renewable sectors. See ‘Skilled people’ section for details of all relevant centres.

4 Spend figures up to March 2014

5 http://www.eawe.eu/

6 Austen MC, Stephen J, Malcolm SJ, Frost M, Hattam C, Mangi, S, Stentford G, Benjamins S, Burrows M, Butenschön M, Duck C, Johns D, Merino G, Mieszkowska N, Miles A, Mitchell I, Smyth T (2011). Marine. In: The UK National Ecosystem Assessment Technical Report (UK NEA, 2011). Publishers: UNEP-WCMC.

7 Ashley MC, Mangi SC and Rodwell LD (2013) The potential of offshore wind farms to act as marine protected areas – a systematic review of current evidence. Marine Policy.

8 http://www.ukerc.ac.uk/support/tiki-index.php?page=Great+Expectations:+The+cost+of+offshore+wind+in+UK+waters

9 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030142151100944X

10 See http://www.lowcarboninnovation.co.uk/working_together/strategic_framework/overview/