Scottish cluster sets up floating wind group

Scotland’s DeepWind cluster has formed a new group dedicated to the floating offshore wind sector in Scotland and the UK.

The subgroup has been set up to make sure Scotland’s energy supply chain companies benefit from new floating offshore wind projects in Scotland and the UK.

Its aim is to develop close ties with centers of innovation, such as the Floating Offshore Wind Centre of Excellence and the Carbon Trust’s Floating Offshore Wind Joint Industry Project, to make sure the supply chain can be directly involved in the commercialization of new technologies.

The new subgroup will be co-chaired by Andronikos Kafas from Ocean Winds and Julia Roope from Fugro and involves more than 200 members of the DeepWind cluster.

“The subgroup is currently the only floating offshore wind forum for direct discussion between developers/tier ones and the tiers two/three (typically where most local content lives),” said Kafas.

“The aim of the subgroup is to assist the sector and parent DeepWind group with horizon scanning, opportunity setting, and capacity building of Scottish companies, under the auspices of economic development agencies.”

The group held its first webinar in September and is expected to soon come up with a proposed work plan detailing a series of activities and events.

Scotland is home to the world’s first floating offshore wind farm – Hywind Scotland, operational since 2017, and currently has another floating wind project under development, the 50 MW Kincardine wind farm.