£300,000 Scottish government funding for renewable energy sector

Scottish government provides funding of £300,000 for research and training projects for renewable energy sector.

Research and training projects that will help Scotland continue to explore the vast potential of the renewable energy sector are set to benefit from £300,000 of government funding.

A total of £215,000 of funding will go to the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult, a leading offshore renewable research centre. The funding will go towards developing a digital clone of their demonstration offshore wind turbine, opening up more industrial and academic research opportunities.

The remaining £85,000 will go to the Energy Skills Partnership, to support their virtual reality and work training programmes, which ensure that workers have the skills required by the energy sector in the future.

Minister for Business, Innovation and Energy, Paul Wheelhouse said: “Over the longer term, Scotland will need to transition its primary energy from fossil fuels to renewable sources. This represents a huge opportunity as the country looks to increase vastly its demand for renewable electricity and heat.

“This is why we must have a workforce with the skills needed to help grow this industry.

“It is fantastic news that projects such as those we are announcing funding for today are looking to the future by striving to meet industry’s needs. They are new innovative projects, which represent exactly what we are looking for to boost the renewable energy sector and Scotland’s economy.”

Dr. Stephen Wyatt, Strategy & Commercialisation Director for ORE Catapult, said: “The creation of a virtual turbine, or ‘digital clone’, through sensors on the blades, tower and foundation, will enable us to develop a unique understanding of the performance, forces and strains on a next-generation offshore wind turbine.

“Not only will the project enable extensive future research and new opportunities for Scottish engineering and technology companies, but the resulting data will enable us to enhance future turbine design and potentially drive significant cost reduction”.

Jim Brown, Director of the Energy Skills Partnership (ESP) said: “Our development of a highly realistic immersive Hybrid Reality (iHR) version of the Levenmouth Turbine is a tremendous opportunity to develop the skills and jobs required by the growing offshore renewables industry in Scotland”.

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