Experts from research and industry are joining forces for a feasibility study which could result in a pioneering centre for floating offshore wind (FLOW) research being developed in Cornwall.
The Celtic Offshore Mooring and Anchoring R&D Centre (COMAC) feasibility study could in the future play a critical role in the sector's projected expansion off the South West of England.
Currently the focus of a leasing round driven by the Crown Estate, the expansion could result in up to 4.5GW of renewable energy capacity being created in the Celtic Sea by 2035.
When realised, that capacity will go a considerable way to generating the clean energy needed to deliver on the UK's ambitious net zero commitments.
To support that projected growth, the feasibility study will develop the business case for the new COMAC centre, identify potential sites, and outline how it could be delivered effectively.
It will engage a wide range of stakeholders including site developers, supply chain, local and regulatory authorities and sector specialists to realise the market and demand for the centre.
It will also examine the centre's long-term viability, assess the environmental impact, and explain how the facility could support local FLOW businesses to develop new products and technologies, boost their productivity, create high valuable jobs in the area, and generate exports.
The feasibility study is being led by researchers from the University of Plymouth's Centre for Decarbonisation and Offshore Renewable Energy, working with Reflex Marine Ltd, Celtic Sea Power and the ORE Catapult.
It is being supported through the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Good Growth Programme, a £137million investment programme managed by Cornwall Council and funded by the Government's UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Professor Lars Johanning, Professor of Ocean Technology at the University, is the study's principal investigator. He was among the experts who contributed to a recent report for the Crown Estate, which highlighted that the Celtic Sea floating offshore wind farms could create more than 5,000 new jobs and boost the economy by up to £1.4 billion.
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