ORE Catapult and Tecnalia Form R&D Tie-Up

The UK’s Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult and Spain’s Tecnalia have signed a Collaboration Agreement with the aim of developing research and development (R&D) projects to tackle some of the key technology challenges facing the offshore renewable energy sector.

The two research centres will collaborate on EU frameworks and share testing and demonstration experience in offshore wind energy technologies, with a view to improving existing testing capabilities and facilitating access to each other’s testing infrastructure.

They will also exchange knowledge on HVDC technologies, rain erosion test methodologies, erosion coating technologies and measurement techniques.

Ignacio Martí Pérez, Innovation & Research Director for ORE Catapult, said: “ORE Catapult was set up to drive forward industry collaboration and technology innovation in offshore renewables, and to promote the sharing of best practice and learning. Working collaboratively with Tecnalia will enable us to develop international best practise in technology research and development and to focus on accelerating cross border innovation. We can then share that knowledge, ultimately benefitting the whole offshore renewables industry and helping to drive down the cost of energy from offshore wind.”

Representatives from both organisations will sit on each other’s respective advisory groups, helping to identify and prioritise critical areas where innovative approaches and technological development can accelerate cost reduction in the delivery of offshore renewable energy.

“Tecnalia is committed to renewable sources of energy in the marine environment as a sector of the future which helps towards sustainable economic growth and stable job creation,” Luis Pedrosa, General Director of Energy and Environment for Tecnalia, said.

“We believe that research, development and innovation can play a key role in delivering competitive technologies compared to other energy sources. Through this framework, sharing knowledge, experiences, facilities, Tecnalia and ORE Catapult will directly support the energy industry to harness the benefits of the huge energy resource that is the sea. Our collaboration will boost the offshore renewable industry.”

Jonathan Cole, Iberdrola Offshore Managing Director and Chair of ORE Catapult’s Industry Advisory Group said: “Cross border collaboration fostering technology innovation is vital to driving down costs in offshore renewables. Both the UK and Spain are global leaders in offshore renewables, and this announcement of a collaboration agreement between two of their leading research institutes is a welcome move towards securing and delivering affordable low carbon energy generation.”