Launch Academy Companies Secure Funding for Offshore Wind Solutions

August 10, 2022, by Adnan Memija

Ten UK technology innovator companies have secured more than GBP 1 million (approximately EUR 1.2 million) in funding to help deliver solutions for the UK’s offshore wind industry.

The companies, which are part of the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult’s Launch Academy programme, have created new jobs and won new contracts thanks to the initiative, ORE Catapult said.

One of the companies that is part of the nine-month programme is Jet Engineering System Solution, which has secured over GBP 500,000 (about EUR 600,000) in grant funding since joining Launch Academy from both UK Research and Innovation and commercial contracts.

Ilosta, which creates digital AI versions of structures to predict the extent of defects based solely upon surface visual inspection with no human interaction, is using data from ORE Catapult’s 7 MW Levenmouth demonstration offshore wind turbine to validate and verify its technological solution.

MJR Power and Automation is working on developing the world’s first on-turbine charging system for charging electric vessels at offshore wind farms.

Steamology, which is looking to replace diesel engines in marine and transport vessels with renewable hydrogen steam power, has secured more than GBP 650,000 (almost EUR 770,00) in public funding.

VRAI, which combines virtual reality and artificial intelligence to make simulation training for high-hazard environments, is the final member of the latest cohort.

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“Each of the ten companies have enjoyed fantastic successes since we started the latest round of Launch Academy in March 2022“, said Alex Louden, Senior Technology Acceleration Manager at ORE Catapult.

The companies shared their progress at ORE Catapult’s National Renewable Energy Centre in Blyth to mark the midway point of their Launch Academy journey.

Backed by ScottishPower Renewables, BP, and Scottish Enterprise, the accelerator programme was launched in 2019 with the goal to help the companies develop their technology and commercialise solutions, ORE Catapult said.