Stronger focus on marine energy becomes part of NSRI’s strategy

The UK National Subsea Research Initiative (NSRI) has unveiled a plan to enhance its offerings to better support marine renewable energy and other offshore industries, along with the oil and gas sector, which retains the central stage of the organization’s activities. 

NSRI stated that, following a strategic review, it had identified the need to restructure in order to reflect the global energy transition.

In line with its strategic goals, the organization has elected two new board members: Simon Cheeseman of the ORE Catapult and Claus Hjoerringgaard of Wood Clean Energy.

A former marine engineer, Simon Cheeseman joined the ORE Catapult in February 2014. He is responsible for managing the organisation’s marine renewables strategy, identifying the wave and tidal technology innovation needs. Previously, he worked with the Energy Technologies Institute, where he was marine programme manager for a range of high profile wave and tidal development projects.

Claus Hjoerringgaard, currently managing director of Wood Clean Energy brings more than 25 years of experience having been involved in all aspects of commercial, technical and legal issues within the energy sector. Prior to joining Wood Clean Energy, he held a number of senior roles at Mott MacDonald, heading up its renewable and power distribution divisions.

NSRI’s chairman Peter Blake said: “As an industry-led and industry-driven organisation, our research and development activities are focused on solving real global challenges, identified by industry to overcome present and future technological challenges.”

“With our new board in place, our main focus for 2018 is to ensure that we continue to help companies and developers overcome the barriers of diversification to make their mark in the wider offshore sector. While oil and gas is likely to hold strong and dominate the global energy supply for years to come, subsea companies also need to look at how they can adapt and expand their presence across multiple markets,” Blake explained.