Innovate UK will invest up to £1.5m in UK companies partnering with US consortia to work on projects as part of the $40m US national offshore wind research and development programme. The National Offshore Wind Research and Development Consortium (the Consortium) is administering the grant program funded predominately by the US Department of Energy, New York State Research and Development Authority and several states.

Innovate UK will launch an expression of interest competition on the 4 November. Applicants must address one or more of the nine challenge areas as outlined in the current NYSERDA solicitation. These are:

• Array performance and control optimisation
• Cost-reducing turbine support structures for the US market
• Floating structure mooring concepts for shallow and deep waters
• Power system design and innovation
• Comprehensive wind resource assessment
• Development of a metocean reference site
• Heavy lift vessel alternatives
• Offshore wind digitisation through advanced analytics
• Technology solutions to accelerate US supply chain

Further information is available on the Innovate UK competitions webpage here.

This webinar, hosted by Knowledge Transfer Network, will include a summary of the competition, information on the approach and support to building US and UK partnerships/project ideas, and provide potential applicants with the opportunity to give a short 2mins pitch on what their organisation can offer and what they are looking for from potential partners.