North East England is energising the offshore wind industry with its regional strengths and global appeal
Posted on 14 June 2023
North East England is energising the offshore wind industry with its regional strengths and global appeal
Global Wind Day, on 15th June, has special significance in 2023: it will be a celebration of the global wind industry passing the one-terawatt milestone. To put this into perspective it is enough power to boil 500m kitchen kettles simultaneously.
As a global leader in offshore wind, the UK has undoubtedly played a major role in this milestone achievement. One region that has played a leading role in the development of offshore wind is North East England and looking out across the North Sea, is proving to be one of the UK’s most pioneering areas for offshore wind.
Some of the most exciting and major offshore wind developments are currently under construction off the North East England coastline. These include Dogger Bank Wind Farm, set to be the world's largest offshore wind farm once constructed and, Sofia Offshore Wind Farm, both setting new standards for supply chain and community engagement alongside the adoption of new technology.
Global players in renewables have long been attracted to North East England. They are supported by a supply chain consisting of innovative businesses, from specialist fabricators to digital disruptors and subsea visionaries to engineering powerhouses.
The port infrastructure across North East England has played a vital role in supporting the installation activities of these multi £billion projects, but have also acted as a magnet for new investment.
Port of Blyth, was recently chosen by RWE as the offshore construction base for Sofia Offshore Wind Farm and at Northumberland Energy Park in Cambois work has now commenced on JDR Cables’ subsea cable manufacturing facility. The new facility will support the growing global renewable energy market, adding high voltage export and long length array cables to its existing capacity and product capabilities.
Further down the coast is Port of Tyne, where we have seen the opening of Dogger Bank Wind Farm’s Operations and Maintenance Base, home to the new North Star Grampian Tyne service operation vessel.
On the River Wear, Port of Sunderland boasts a range of facilities including deep water births and heavy lift craneage. The port is being used by companies such as Osprey, which supports Moray East Offshore Wind Farm.
On the River Tees, Able Seaton Port is being utilised for the pre-assembly of the towers and nacelles for the GE Haliade-X turbines to be used at Dogger Bank Wind Farm.
Teesworks, the site being regenerated from a redundant steel works, has attracted SeAH Wind to invest in a new 1.13 million sq ft manufacturing site for monopiles to service the Ørsted Hornsea 3 project, whilst Seajacks has announced it is bringing its UK marine base.
World Class Innovation
Alongside this, North East England’s R&D assets and capabilities are recognised at an international level.
The Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult, is the UK’s leading technology innovation and research centre for offshore renewable energy. Its assets include a 100M blade test facility, powertrain testing facilities and high voltage test laboratories.
This year, the Digital, Autonomous and Robotics Engineering (DARE) Centre opened at the ORE Catapult facility: the centre will enable developers, researchers and wider industry to test, demonstrate and commercialise innovative digital and robotic products and services for the offshore renewable energy market.
Skills for now and the future
Developing a workforce that can meet the current and future needs of the offshore wind industry is crucial for the sector’s continued growth. North East England is responding to this challenge.
One of Port of Blyth’s most recognisable landmarks is Port Training Services’ £1 million wind turbine training facility. This will soon be joined at the port by the Energy Central Learning Hub, a state-of-the-art facility which will deliver STEM education and sector-related vocational and work-based learning. The Northumberland Skills Welding and Fabrication Technical Training Centre, due to open in 2024, will stand alongside it.
The region is home to world-class training and education leaders including five universities and specialist providers such as AIS Survivex, Maersk Training, RelyOn Nutec, TTE Technical Training that offer industry specific courses.
Harnessing the region’s power: Energi Coast – North East England’s Offshore Wind Cluster
North East England’s offshore wind industry and its growing capabilities are being championed by Energi Coast, North East England’s offshore wind cluster.
NOF, the UK-wide business development membership organisation which helps to make connections between businesses in the global energy sector owns and operates Energi Coast, which is made up of more than 30 key regional businesses and stakeholder organisations.
The wider Energi Coast cluster consists of over 300 North East England suppliers who are either active in the offshore wind market or have the transferrable skills and ambition to move into offshore wind.
The cluster is helping to drive innovation through the Energi Coast Innovation Group, lead by Durham University’s Durham Energy Institute, while its Energi Coast Skills Group, lead by Port Training Services (PTS), is focused on future skills needs.
As the offshore wind sector continues to develop, for instance through the evolution of floating offshore wind technology, Energi Coast will continue to play a crucial role.
Meet the team and build new connections
Interested in finding out more about offshore wind opportunities in North East England? Visit the Energi Coast stand (M70) at Global Offshore Wind, ExCeL London on 14th and 15th June. Find out more at https://energicoast.co.uk or contact John Leer, Energi Coast Cluster Manager at jleer@nof.co.uk.
Need support in connecting with businesses in the energy sector UK-wide? Find out more about how NOF can help you at https://www.nof.co.uk/ or contact Paul Livingstone, Head of Membership at plivingstone@nof.co.uk.
NOF also hosts the Offshore Wind Projects Database, an additional subscription service which allows you to view critical project data, gain insights into key players and developments, and forecast sector activity for the next five years. To find out more visit https://www.nof.co.uk/services-and-benefits/offshore-wind-projects-database or contact Paul Livingstone, Head of Membership at plivingstone@nof.co.uk.
On 8th and 9th November, you can visit the Offshore Wind North East (OWNE) Conference and Exhibition, taking place at the Beacon of Light, Sunderland. OWNE is a national event in a pioneering offshore wind region of the UK, a leading event that explores themes and opportunities in the offshore wind sector. To find out more visit https://offshorewindne.com/.
