UK Invites EoI for Offshore Wind R&D Competition

Innovate UK is inviting Expressions of Interest (EoI) from companies to apply for a share of up to GBP 1.5 million from a bilateral offshore wind R&D program with the U.S.

Innovate UK will invest in UK companies partnering with U.S. consortia to work on projects as part of the USD 40 million U.S. National Offshore Wind Research and Development Consortium program (NOWRDC).

The aim of the competition is to fund organizations to collaborate with U.S. consortia to reduce technical barriers in the offshore wind sector, with the focus on those that stop the use of offshore wind technologies, including cost.

The EoI has three phases, including UK expression of interest in which applications are reviewed by Innovate UK, the NOWRDC application in which UK applicants join a U.S. consortium to apply via the NYSERDA solicitation process and lastly the UK full stage competition in which successful applicants are invited to apply.

Projects must focus on at least one of the three research pillars outlined in the U.S. National Offshore Wind Roadmap, including offshore wind plant technology advancement, offshore wind power resource and physical site characterization, as well as installation, O&M, and supply chain.

Funding will be allocated for feasibility studies, industrial research and experimental development, and not for projects that involve fundamental research.

The EoI phase closes on 15 January 2020 and the applicants will be notified of the results on 14 February.