Four more companies have been given backing from a fund which aims to support the renewable energy sector in the North East.
The North of Tyne Combined Authority’s Technology, Innovation and Green Growth for Offshore Renewables (TIGGOR) programme has given grants totaling £800,000 to TechnipFMC, FES International, Kinewell Energy, and Enshore Subsea. The grants take money awarded from the fund above £2m.
The programme is part of the North of Tyne’s wider strategy for energy, green growth and climate change, with the grants coming a week after a taskforce was launched which aims to make the Tyne a world leader in the renewables and offshore sector.
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Projects backed in the latest found of funding include innovation in areas such as subsea cable arrays, vent hatches and scanning for unexploded ordnance. The companies involved with work with sector body ORE Catapult, as well as demonstrating their technologies to specialists at Equinor, joint venture partner and future operator of the Dogger Bank Wind Farm, and EDF Renewables, which owns and operates the Blyth offshore demonstrator wind farm.
Graham Smith, TIGGOR programme manager, said: “This funding award completes the second round of funding within the TIGGOR regional supply chain demonstration programme and provides excellent opportunities for local companies to access the fast-growing offshore renewables market.
“The programme, with strong industry engagement, demonstrates to wind farm developers highly innovative solutions with the ambition to increase UK local content in future developments.”
Coun Richard Wearmouth, the North of Tyne cabinet member for clean energy and connectivity and deputy leader of Northumberland County Council, said: “The TIGGOR programme is already driving forward innovation, research and development here in the North of Tyne. With the ORE Catapult in Blyth we’re leading the way in support both for our local businesses and in terms of attracting more companies here to the North of Tyne.
“This investment is a further opportunity to take advantage of a multi-billion pound industry emerging in the UK, placing ourselves right at the centre of the green energy revolution.”
A new call has been launched for any organisations in the renewables sector in the North of Tyne region to apply for funding. Companies interested in participating can find details and a form for initial expressions of interest at https://ore.catapult.org.uk/what-we-do/supply-chain-growth/tiggor/.
