OWGP Launches GBP 1 Million Offshore Wind Innovation Grant for UK Companies

May 1, 2024, by Adnan Memija

The Offshore Wind Growth Partnership (OWGP) has launched a GBP 1 million Innovation Grant funding competition aimed at boosting the local offshore wind supply chain.

Innovation Grants between GBP 25,000 and GBP 200,000 are available for projects that focus on future cables, electrical systems, next-generation installation, and operations and maintenance technologies.

The scope of the Innovation Grant call reflects the high growth areas within the Supply Chain Capability Analysis and the recently published Offshore Wind Industrial Growth Plan, which sets out how the UK can create thousands of jobs in offshore wind manufacturing and billions in economic value over the next decade.

Grants will be available to UK companies that are already active in the offshore wind supply chain or seeking to diversify into the sector. They will be awarded on a competitive basis, with successful proposals demonstrating near-to-market or market-ready solutions and a clear ambition for growth in the sector, said OWGP.

Eligible applicants can request up to GBP 200,000 in a single grant application to cover up to 50 per cent of the total project budget.

The OWGP Innovation Grant will be supported by Ocean Winds and ScottishPower Renewables who have expressed an interest in the innovation themes.

“Now more than ever, as we stand at the heart of the construction phase of 2 GW of offshore wind in the United Kingdom and in France, innovation propels Ocean Winds to secure efficiency and safety in our journey to generating clean energy from offshore wind. This presents an excellent opportunity for us to champion innovation across the sector,” said Daniel Santa Cruz Prego de Oliver, Innovation & Entrepreneurship Director at Ocean Winds.

“Following the launch of the Industrial Growth Plan, this is a great opportunity to support the development of innovative solutions to accelerate the growth of a competitive offshore wind supply chain,” said Angela Angulo, Global Innovation Lead, Offshore Wind Business at Iberdrola.

The UK offshore wind industry already employs 32,000 people and each new large offshore wind farm adds GBP 2-3 billion to the economy. Employment is set to rise to over 100,000 by 2030 and investment in new offshore wind projects is expected to create an economic opportunity worth up to GBP 92 billion for the UK by 2040.