Partner Article

Narec to lead £50m Energy Catapult Centre

The consortium bid by the Carbon Trust, Narec and Ocean Energy Innovation is set to recieve £50 million in funding from the Technology Strategy Board after it was chosen to play a pivotal role in the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult.

The centre is due to open in Summer 2012, and will help to reinforce the UK’s position as a global leader in the offshore renewables energy market. It will now help to further accelerate the development and market deployment of new renewable energy technologies.

Andrew Mill, CEO of Narec, said: “Narec was set up in 2003 to enable economic development through the commercialisation of offshore renewable energy technologies and is therefore well placed to support the growth of these sectors across the UK.

“The Catapult centre will provide national coordination of expertise and funding to fast track offshore wind, wave and tidal renewable technology development through to commercialisation, as quickly and efficiently as possible.”

The project will now focus on reducing the cost of energy, accelerating market deployment and maximising the benefit to the UK economy. The Operational Centre will be based at the Narec Technology Park in Blyth, Northumberland.

Mt Mill continued: “There will be close engagement with industry to ensure that they are aligned to key market needs, such as improving the reliability of energy generating devices that are expected to operate for many years in a harsh marine environment.

“We are looking across the entire supply chains of offshore wind, wave and tidal renewables to focus the programme on areas where there can be maximum benefit for UK business in support of government renewables policy.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .