ONE | Fit for Offshore Renewables programme launched

ONE Energy has partnered with ORE Catapult to launch Fit For Offshore Renewables North East Scotland, a business improvement programme to help accelerate the pace of diversification of the energy supply chain.

The North East of Scotland is uniquely positioned to take advantage of the massive opportunity presented by offshore wind. With the conclusion of the ScotWind leasing process, there will be long term visibility on the potential work available, but we need to accelerate support for businesses in the supply chain to diversify and be ready for the opportunities presented.

There are many highly experienced companies in the region with the skills, expertise and ambition to support the energy transition. While existing expertise in technologies such as moorings, anchors, subsea cables and connectors is highly relevant to the offshore wind sector, we need to adapt and build on our capabilities and strengths for this particular market.

Andy Rodden, ONE’s Energy Transition Director – Offshore Wind, said: “The objective of F4OR is to ensure that the transferrable skills currently deployed in oil and gas are used to make the region a frontrunner in offshore renewables.

“That’s especially relevant as we move into ScotWind, which will have more of a focus on floating offshore wind. There’s a real need to make that more commercial and utilising the subsea experience in the region could be key to that.

“We’re really keen that the north-east capitalises on the opportunities and builds a manufacturing presence. That’s something that Aberdeen has been very successful at doing in the oil and gas sector over the last 50 years so the question is how to do we harness that and transfer the skills into renewables.”

Based on the proven Fit for Nuclear Programme, Fit for Offshore Renewables will give business leaders a detailed and specific understanding of the sector and its challenges to enable them to develop their strategy and make the changes required within their business so they can move forward at pace. The focus of the programme is on getting businesses ready to tender and ultimately to work closely with offshore renewable developers to develop solutions.

Opportunity North East is committed to working with partners to develop and deliver programme activity that provides relevant and tangible outputs in support of the supply chain. By partnering with ORE Catapult, we are working with an organisation which shares our focus on delivering impact, helping accelerate the pace of diversification of the energy supply chain in order to take advantage of the massive opportunity presented.

For more information on the programme contact Keith Mackie, SME Development Manager - Energy interested companies can complete the expression of interest form https://ore.catapult.org.uk/wh...