Ten offshore energy organisations have joined the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult’s Floating Offshore Wind Centre of Excellence.

Offshore wind developers EDF Renewables, EDP Renewables, Equinor, ESB, Mainstream Renewable Power, ScottishPower Renewables, SSE Renewables, and Offshore Wind Power Ltd (OWPL), a Joint Venture between the Green Investment Group and RIDG, are joined by energy companies Total and Shell in the Centre of Excellence.

The Centre of Excellence will focus on all areas of floating wind activity in the UK across four key workstreams – technology development, supply chain and operations, development and consent, and delivering net zero. The aim is to reduce the cost of energy from floating wind, accelerate the build-out of floating farms and create opportunities for the UK supply chain.

The  first tranche of projects will focus on addressing some of the critical challenges in the commercialisation of floating offshore wind, including the development and consenting process; project and technology certification, classification and application of standards; developing a cost reduction pathway to commercial competitiveness; and defining the energy systems benefits of floating offshore wind.