Three firms receive funds to advance offshore wind technology developments in UK

Three firms in the UK, High Voltage Partial Discharge (HVPD), JDR Cable Systems and Principle Power (Europe), have received a total funding of £2.3m to drive innovation in the offshore wind sector with focus on cost reduction and growth.

The UK Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) announced the funds under the DECC and Technology Strategy Board’s (TSB) Offshore Wind Component Technologies Development and Demonstration scheme launched in May 2012.

These companies are the first three recipients as part of the scheme’s £5m second call.

Through the scheme, the department aims to promote novel ideas to help cut costs and drive growth in the offshore wind sector, including design of an integrated offshore high voltage network management system, development of innovative HVAC cables, and the creation of new floating foundations for wind turbines.

Energy and Climate Change Minister Greg Barker said that this funding will provide three more companies the boost required to advance their designs and enhance offshore wind power.

"I am also pleased to announce the launch of a £4million fourth round of this competition and would encourage organisations with innovative ideas to apply," Barker said.

High Voltage Partial Discharge (HVPD) has received £545,500 for its project idea to create an integrated offshore high voltage network management system (OHVMS) for windfarms; JDR Cable Systems has secured £1,021,000 to develop and build innovative HVAC cables; and Principle Power (Europe) has won £698,630 for developing the design and serial manufacturing process for innovative WindFloat floating foundations for wind turbines.

HVPD managing director Dr Lee Renforth noted that the company would have required a four-year development period to finance and deliver the project without the grant.

"The DECC grant will help HVPD to develop our new Offshore High Voltage Network Monitoring System (OHVMS) ‘holistic’ electrical condition monitoring technology for the offshore wind farms subsea cable networks," Renforth added.

JDR CEO Andrew Norman said, "We are delighted that the Department of Energy and Climate Change has recognised JDR’s capabilities in the field of inter array cables and awarded funding to support our new research into high voltage array cabling for offshore wind farms."

Principle Power CEO Alla Weinstein added that the funding will allow the company to implement its WindFloat floating foundation design especially for the UK market.

"With nearly 55% of UK Round 3 sites having water depth of greater than 40 meters, project developers and utilities can realise significant economic benefits from WindFloat systems and reduced complexity in their project contracts," Weinstein said.