UKRI funding boost for Scottish offshore wind research

Operating on the east coast of Scotland, Forth and Tay Offshore (FTO) is one of eight clusters set up to facilitate the UK’s ambitious offshore wind rollout. Alongside north Scotland’s DeepWind cluster – which is focusing on offshore opportunities in deeper waters - FTO will have a pivotal role in delivering the gigawatts of clean energy the UK will need to decarbonise the grid by 2030 and ultimately hit net zero. 

The research programme has seen FTO working with nearby universities Edinburgh and Dundee, aiming to address critical challenges in offshore wind technology. According to the partners, the new funding will allow them to build on significant successes to date as well as bolster the cluster’s supply chain, which features more than 500 SMEs.  

“This funding will enable us to push the boundaries of offshore wind technology, from improved design and engineering practices to enhanced environmental impact analysis.,” said Professor Alasdair McDonald, chair in Renewable Technologies at Edinburgh University.

“Our collaboration with the University of Dundee and the Forth and Tay Offshore Cluster will allow us to harness collective strengths and knowledge, leading to breakthroughs that will benefit the industry and society at large.”

Scotland’s east coast is currently home to the majority of the country’s windfarms, which are in various stages of development. Seagreen is Scotland’s biggest operational offshore project, featuring 114 Vestas 10MW turbines and a nameplate capacity just over 1GW. Seagreen’s massive 4.1GW second phase, now named Berwick Bank, is currently awaiting consent from the Scottish government. If constructed, it will be one of the world’s biggest offshore wind installations and a huge boon to the FTO cluster.  

“Offshore wind is a gamechanger for the east of Scotland and we are all pioneers as the industry develops and evolves,” said David Webster, chair of Forth and Tay Offshore Cluster and commercial director at Forth Ports.

“We are more than excited to be able to contribute to this vitally important piece of work that has such immense potential to positively impact the renewable energy sector and beyond.”

The £2.5m UKRI funding was made via Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) through its Place Based Impact Acceleration Account (PBIAA) scheme.