A £3.4 billion funding package has been awarded to build a proposed new subsea and underground 500km cable between Scotland and Yorkshire which could power up to 2 million homes, and expedite the delivery of energy generated via offshore wind in the North Sea.

Eastern Green Link 2 (EGL2) is the first of 26 projects to complete a fast-track process to secure funding through Ofgem’s new ASTI framework, which the energy regulator said accelerates the funding process by up to two years, allowing electricity generated by offshore wind to be delivered to consumers sooner.

EGL2 will deliver a 2GW high voltage electricity ‘superhighway’ cable link between Peterhead in Aberdeenshire and Drax in North Yorkshire, which will help harness the potential of British offshore wind power. Most of the cable (around 436km) will be under the North Sea with the remaining 70km buried underground onshore. Two converter stations, one at each end of the cable, are planned to help feed the electricity transported by the cable into the grid and from there onto consumers.

As part of its declared mission to upgrade the energy system at least possible cost to customers, Ofgem said it scrutinised the developers’ proposal and identified over £79m of savings which have been cut from the project costs without impacting delivery or quality.

By boosting grid capacity, ASTI projects will open up access to homegrown wind energy, and deliver an estimated £1.5billion of savings, said Ofgem, by reducing the need to compensate generators who are currently asked to turn off production, during times of high wind, due to lack of grid capacity.

Jonathan Brearley, Ofgem CEO, said: “Ofgem is fully committed to supporting the government to meet its aims of getting clean power by 2030. Today’s announcement is a further step in putting the regulatory systems and processes in place to speed up network regulation to achieve its aim.

“Accelerated Strategic Transmission Investment (ASTI) accelerates approval times for projects such as Eastern Green Link 2 (EGL2) by up to two years. However, streamlining the process does not mean blank cheques for developers as we are able to step in and make financial adjustments to maximise efficiency and consumer benefit.”

Work on the project is expected to begin later this year and to be complete by 2029.

Responding to the announcement, Lawrence Slade, Chief Executive of Energy Networks Association (ENA) which represents the UK’s electricity network operators said: “This is really welcome news from Ofgem. To move us forward towards clean power will require the biggest upgrade to the grid in decades. In turn these projects will unlock jobs, secure work for contractors and suppliers, and ultimately mean more secure energy supplies in the future. This is a crucial part of that jigsaw.”

Other projects in the ASTI cohort include the Yorkshire Green Energy Enablement (GREEN) project, for which Ofgem has announced a proposed funding allowance of £294.8m. GREEN involves a proposed upgrade to the local electricity network to help transport energy generated by Scottish and North Sea windfarms to consumers.

Applications are now open for innovative companies based in Scotland to join the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult’s award-winning Launch Academy programme. Launch Academy is an industry-backed technology accelerator programme designed to support the commercialisation of new technologies that will enhance the UK’s offshore wind supply chain, enabling greater local content while supporting cost reduction.

The prestigious Launch Academy was established in 2020, and this will be the inaugural Scotland-wide programme which will provide 10 early-stage businesses with technology development and business growth support to help them to accelerate the commercialisation of products and services targeting the UK and global offshore wind markets.

Since 2020, Launch Academy has supported 57 companies, raised £26.7m in private investment, £8.4m in grant funding and had 150 patents filed through both the national and regional Launch Academy programmes across the United Kingdom.

Launch Academy Scotland is sponsored by Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, South of Scotland Enterprise, global renewable energy developers BlueFloat Energy | Nadara Partnership and Ocean Winds, as well as Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm. The 10 most promising solutions will be selected by a panel of experts to join the Launch Academy Scotland cohort.

Industry experts from the sponsoring organisations will engage and support the cohort companies throughout their seven-month Launch Academy journey. At the end of the programme, the innovators will pitch to industry partners and ORE Catapult’s network of investors with the aim of securing investment and a route to market for their products.

Dr Stephen Wyatt, Director of Strategy and Emerging Technologies at ORE Catapult, said: “Our Launch Academy was established in 2020 to accelerate early stage disruptive innovations which can address the challenges facing the offshore renewables sector. I’m delighted that we have this dedicated programme for Scotland linking so closely to the biggest offshore wind projects in our waters.

“Scotland has forged an enviable reputation for excellence and specialist expertise within the energy sector and we are delighted to welcome the support of Scotland’s enterprise agencies, Inch Cape, BlueFloat Energy | Nadara Partnership, and Ocean Winds as we launch this latest programme. Launch Academy Scotland will mentor 10 promising companies, providing them with technical and business growth support, as well as industry insights and market connectivity, positioning them to thrive in the UK offshore wind supply chain.”

Shane Macken, Inch Cape’s Innovation Champion and Interface Manager said: “Inch Cape is a showcase for numerous innovative technologies and applications, from the UK’s largest AC offshore transformer and use of Vestas’ 15MW turbines to the installation of 110m long XXL monopile foundations.

“However we still see huge potential for innovation, not just for our project but for the wider offshore wind industry, with Scotland at the forefront of that potential thanks to its energy heritage combined with future development pipeline. This is why we are dedicated in our support of the inaugural Launch Academy Scotland in partnership with innovation-drivers ORE Catapult.”

David Robertson, Portfolio Director (Scotland), BlueFloat Energy | Nadara Partnership said: “We are delighted to sponsor the first ever Scottish cohort of ORE Catapult’s successful Launch Academy programme. With a pipeline of over 3 GW of floating offshore wind in Scottish waters, we recognise the importance of stimulating innovation through our project designs and SMEs based in Scotland are well-positioned to help with this thanks to our rich history of innovation and invention. We look forward to working with successful candidates to tackle some of the technical challenges the industry is facing, in a bid to accelerate delivery and improve efficiency.”

Mark Baxter, Caledonia Project Director, said: “Ocean Winds is proud to sponsor the ORE Catapult Launch Academy programme, shaping Scotland’s energy future. Our Moray Firth projects have showcased the exceptional talent within Scotland’s supply chain, and this initiative represents a significant investment in both supply chain and innovation.

“Funding for the Launch Academy has been committed by Caledonia – a 2GW offshore wind farm that will be Ocean Winds’ third in the Moray Firth. Caledonia is keen to see Scottish companies and innovators focussed on decarbonisation and manufacturing excellence, furthering the development, construction and operation of offshore wind, and accelerating Scotland’s green energy transition.

“Caledonia is committed to spend £46m in early support for the UK supply chain and will lead to potential investment of £3.5bn in the UK across all its stages. Ocean Winds has proven its commitment to supply chain development through its existing projects in the Moray Firth, and Caledonia – across its development lifecycle and through support for initiatives like the Launch Academy – will further enhance opportunities for growth.”

Adam Swainbank – Offshore Wind Supply Chain Specialist – Scottish Enterprise said: “Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and South of Scotland Enterprise are delighted to take part in this Scottish iteration of the UK flagship offshore wind technology accelerator programme  – Launch Academy. This is a great example of the 3 economic development agencies in Scotland working in collaboration with ORE Catapult and industry to address the offshore wind challenges before us, helping accelerating, de-risk and commercialise innovative technology from the Scottish supply chain with a goal of ensuring we maximise local content and reducing costs and risks for offshore wind developers.”

Applications are open from tomorrow, 19 July 2024 and can be submitted until the closing deadline of 16 August 2024.

A Launch Academy Scotland briefing webinar will take place on Monday 29 July, 2024. Click here for more information and to sign up.

The Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced on 8 July that the Government will reform the National Planning Policy Framework before the end of the month to end the de facto ban on onshore wind in England.

The move fulfills an earlier promise to overturn the block on new projects within Labour’s first weeks in power. This had been a legacy of David Cameron’s government and its adjustment of the National Policy Planning Framework which meant that even a single objection was enough to stop a project from going through the planning stages.¹

Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero Ed Milliband said on Twitter: “The onshore wind ban has been in place for nine years. We’ve been in government for 72 hours – we’ve lifted it. That’s the pace we’re going to move at.”

RenewableUK’s Chief Executive Dan McGrail said the move was “long overdue”, citing public support for onshore wind – “78% according to the latest official polling”.

“The onshore wind industry is committed to ensuring that communities are properly consulted about any proposals, including the wide range of economic benefits they will bring to local people. This process can take several years, including measures which help ensure that wildlife is protected, so it will be some time before brand new projects go ahead in England.”

Building wind farms is an undeniably resource-intensive undertaking, although industry initiatives to embed circular principles have been getting underway.

Dan McGrail’s statement also said: “Modern turbines are substantially more efficient and powerful than the turbines built in previous decades, so doubling the UK’s onshore wind capacity by 2030 won’t mean doubling the number of turbines in the UK. We can generate more power from fewer new turbines, and we can replace older turbines with far more powerful ones, making the most of our superb natural wind resources. Our research shows that delivering 30 gigawatts of onshore wind by the end of the decade would boost the economy by £45 billion and create 27,000 jobs”.

The Government also published a policy statement to accompany the onshore wind announcement.

Notes
[1] https://eandt.theiet.org/2024/07/09/labour-lifts-nine-year-ban-onshore-wind-farms

Scottish Renewables has joined forces with 67 organisations, representing approximately 20,000 jobs from across the renewable energy industry, in an appeal to the new UK Government to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy projects, in an 8 July announcement.

The Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme is the UK Government’s main mechanism for unlocking investment in low-carbon electricity generation. CfD contracts are awarded through annual auctions known as ‘Allocation Rounds’, with Allocation Round 6 (AR6) set to take place this summer.

Despite more than 12GW of renewable energy projects being able to enter the AR6 auction the current budget, set in March 2024, means that only a fraction of these projects will be able to secure investment.

Due to inflation and increased interest rates the AR5 auction failed to deliver any contracts for offshore wind in 2023. This year, the renewable energy industry is looking for AR6 to deliver the capacity that will help the UK Government deliver its clean energy targets such as 50GW of offshore wind by 2030.

In a letter to the new Prime Minister, Chancellor of Exchequer and Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Scottish Renewables has called for an increase to the AR6 budget that the industry body says will provide certainty to vital Scottish projects and supply chains.

Claire Mack, Chief Executive at Scottish Renewables, said:

“The Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme has been a trailblazer for boosting investment in renewable energy across the UK. With key deployment targets around the corner, we must maximise capacity in the upcoming CfD allocation rounds.

“Scotland’s renewable energy supply chain is poised to secure the opportunities from our impressive pipeline. However, we will only be able to enable the steady deployment of vital Scottish projects by ensuring CfD budgets match their potential.

“The new UK Government has an immediate opportunity to not only get us back on track to meet our bold targets, but to kickstart economic growth and high-value job creation by uplifting the Allocation Round 6 budget.

“Maximising Contracts for Difference will also pave the way for the cleaner, cheaper and more secure energy for the benefit of communities across the UK.”

Speaking at the opening session of RenewableUK’s Global Offshore Wind 2024 conference and exhibition at Manchester Central, RenewableUK’s Chief Executive Dan McGrail has called for the sector to put the troubles of recent years behind it.

His address came a few days after the group published a report showing that global offshore wind operational capacity had increased by 21% over the last 12 months, from 61.5 gigawatts a year ago to 75GW today.

He said: “Never before has our conference taken place at a moment when the content of our conversations and the boldness of our leadership can have such a direct impact on the years ahead.

“After several years of turmoil, we should finally be entering an era where wind energy becomes the core of the energy system. There is no doubt our sector has had a bumpy couple of years. The jarring effect of inflation on supply chains around the world has disrupted  market prices, risk profiles and attitudes to the sector unlike anything we have seen before in the industry’s development. Yet the market is turning the corner. According to our new EnergyPulse report, the sector added 21% to its global installed capacity in the last year alone.

“In the UK, we can look ahead to a positive auction for new offshore wind projects in 2024, with nearly 11 gigawatts of capacity eligible to bid in, including a healthy mix of established fixed-bottom projects as well as innovative floating wind projects.

“We have spent much of the last year developing our offshore wind Industrial Growth Plan. Economic growth has been put at the heart of this election and many others around the world. After the UK election, the Secretary of State will arrive at a very early decision about how much offshore wind to procure this year. With the right backing, nearly £30 billion of private investment into renewables, across all technologies, can be secured this autumn, with an industrial plan to stimulate the jobs and careers across Britain, kickstarting  economic growth and industrial reinvention”.

At the same session, the President of COP26 and former Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Sir Alok Sharma said:

“The offshore wind sector has a vital role to play in ensuring that the world meets its climate and clean energy targets. You have come an incredibly long way in a few short decades. The technologies are here – we just need to deploy them faster to keep on track for our 2030 goals.

“We also know that your sector has faced a triple whammy of headwinds over the last couple of years. These are growing pains – I do think the sector has turned a corner and the fundamentals are incredibly strong.

“Your Industrial Growth Plan sets out very thoughtfully how to grow the UK offshore wind sector and ensure we have more manufacturing here , as well as boosting jobs and investment”.

More details are available here on RenewableUK’s 2-day Global Offshore Wind 2024 conference and exhibition in Manchester.

The use of whale oil for lighting in the 1800s and the production of oil and gas from the North Sea in the 1970s are to help inform scientists at Heriot-Watt University about the impact on coastal communities of past and present energy transitions.

The research is one of four projects to share £14.8 million in funding through the Resilient Coastal Communities and Seas Programme, which is funded by UK Research and Innovation – the UK’s national funding agency for investing in science and research – and the UK Government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). The programme aims to boost the resilience of coastal communities in all four nations of the UK by drawing expertise from multiple disciplines.

Heriot-Watt’s project is called TRANSitions in Energy for Coastal communities over Time and Space (TRANSECTS) and aims to learn from the past to help ensure that offshore renewable energy, including offshore wind and tidal energy, develops in a way that helps rather than harms coastal communities.

The project is led by Dr Karen Alexander, a marine social scientist at Heriot-Watt University’s School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society. Marine social scientists are scientists who specialise in researching human interactions with the marine environment.

“Past transitions have often had a negative effect on coastal communities,” Dr Alexander explains. “For example, the growing use of whale oil in lamps in the 19th century and the transition to offshore oil and gas in the 1970s both brought boom and bust cycles, with highs and lows in jobs and investment. There were also big impacts on the environment that affected both people and nature.

“Through this project, we’re going back in time to research how people in coastal communities experienced these changes. The aim is to inform approaches to the current energy transition that protect the wellbeing of coastal communities – and also underpin the success of important blue economy industries like offshore renewables.”

Heriot-Watt’s research will involve collaborating with scientists across different disciplines and with artists, archaeologists and cultural organisations including museums. Researchers will also collaborate with coastal communities in Scotland and England, with a focus on three areas. These are around the Humber in England, the Orkney islands archipelago and the east coast of Scotland between Edinburgh and Aberdeen.

“This project will very much be public-facing, with lots of opportunities for communities to get involved and help with our research,” Dr Alexander says. “We tend to think about renewable energy industries in terms of jobs, money and natural resources. But our project aims to bring people and their relationships, experiences and identities back into the stories about these communities and industries.”

Human narratives sourced from archives will be combined with scientific data to explore areas including the impacts of past energy transitions on migration, employment and mental and physical health – and the fairness and balance of investment decisions.

Twelve stakeholder partners from industry and government are collaborating in the project. These include the Scottish Government, the Marine Management Organisation, which regulates marine activities in the seas around England and Wales, and Offshore Energies UK, a trade association for the UK offshore energies industry.

Four universities are also collaborating with Heriot-Watt University in the TRANSECTS project. These are the University of the Highlands and Islands, University of Aberdeen, University of Strathclyde and University of Hull.

The seeming enormity of the green energy shift taking place in China is given shape by what’s described as the most comprehensive English-language report on China’s energy transition. It also looks at the persistence of fossil fuels in its energy mix.

According to DNV’s “Energy Transition Outlook China”, the country is establishing itself as a green energy leader with an unrivalled build out of renewable energy and export of renewable technology. On the other hand, DNV forecasts fossil fuels will still account for 40% of its energy mix in 2050.

Energy independence is a key motivation for Chinese energy policy, but it will be only partly achieved. The power sector is decarbonizing quickly by replacing coal with domestically sourced renewable energy, and domestically produced coal will largely be sufficient for the remaining coal demand segments by 2050. However, oil and gas usage will continue to rely on imports. Although oil consumption halves by 2050 from its 2027 peak, its use in petrochemicals and heavy transport (aviation and shipping) will linger and 84% of oil use will be met through imports. Natural gas consumption will remain high with 2050 consumption marginally below 2023 levels and 58% being imported.

Strong policy support is reflected by the rapid uptake of green technologies. China, already a leader in renewable energy investments, will more than quintuple renewable energy installations by 2050. In 2010, wind made up only 1% of China’s electricity generation. However, policy has turbocharged the sector and today wind is China’s largest source of electricity after coal and hydropower, delivering 9.4% of the total electricity supply in 2023. By midcentury it will comfortably be the world’s largest wind market.

Likewise, solar made up less than 1% of power generation in 2015 and in less than a decade this has risen to 5% today. Solar and wind will each contribute 38% of electricity production by 2050.

“Intense policy focus and technological innovation is transforming China into a green energy powerhouse” said Remi Eriksen, Group President and CEO of DNV. “There is much to admire about China’s energy transition. There are visible signs of a vast decarbonization effort and clean technology development within renewable energy, storage, and transmission technologies. However, there is potential for China to push further its transition to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels further and faster — and to bring China closer to net-zero emissions by 2050

China’s energy use will peak by 2030 and reduce by 20% by 2050, driven by electrification and energy-efficiency improvements. This decline is also enabled by demographic shifts, including a projected 100 million population decrease.

From a position where, in 2023, China was responsible for a third of the world’s energy-related CO2 emissions, by 2050 that share will have reduced to a fifth. In absolute terms, China’s emissions will reduce by 70%, following a path close to meeting its target of carbon neutrality by 2060.

A free new tool has been launched for local authorities to help them quickly identify potential locations for green energy projects.

Across London, the East and South East, 80% of local authorities have declared a climate emergency and most are creating energy plans. UK Power Networks, which distributes electricity in these areas, has combined 18 datasets in one place to help guide local authorities in finding future sites for community-owned wind and solar farms.

The new *IRENES tool at ukpowernetworks.opendatasoft.com combines spatial and land use datasets for ground-based solar PV and onshore wind, over 18,000 square kilometres. It also apparently takes into account physical characteristics such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and solar irradiance, data along with the existing local electricity network.

Data can easily be filtered, and layered with other useful Net Zero datasets in UK Power Networks’ Open Data Portal, to view the energy capacity currently available. Users can generate an easy-to-understand map, with traffic light colour coding showing locations for new projects.

This collaborative project is led by Anglia Ruskin University and University of East Anglia, and supported by UK Power Networks’ Distribution System Operator (DSO) and the Greater South East Net Zero Hub. It lives up to the ‘Energy Data Taskforce: A Strategy for a Modern Digitalised Energy System’ report commissioned by Government, Ofgem, and Innovate UK which sets out five key recommendations to modernise the UK energy system and drive it towards a Net Zero future.

UK Power Networks’ funding quickly helped scale the original scope from five county councils, to 133 local authorities serving 5.6 million residents within just six months.

Lynne McDonald, head of Local Net Zero at UK Power Networks’ Distribution System Operator said: “This partnership showcases our DSO’s collaboration across sectors to support local authorities in easily accessing essential data for their decarbonisation plans.

“It’s been a fantastic opportunity to exchange knowledge with our colleagues in energy, data and academia. We encourage local authorities to make the most of this new tool, shape our network investments and drive sustainable change together – empowered by data and digital tools for effective, place-based decision-making.”

Peter Gudde, Net Zero programme lead at Greater South East Net Zero Hub said: “The Greater South East Net Zero Hub has been supporting the development of the IRENES Land Use Tool to enable locally developed renewable energy generation. We are pleased to see collaboration between two of the South East region’s leading universities and UK Power Networks Distribution System Operator in support of the public sector and their area commitments to facilitate Net Zero. We look forward building upon that cross-sector working relationship.”

*IRENES stands for Integrating RENewable energy and Ecosystem Services in environmental and energy policies

OFGEM has announced it is consulting on a proposed funding package of £3.4 billion for a subsea and underground 500km electricity superhighway between Scotland and Yorkshire which could power up to 2 million homes.

Eastern Green Link 2 (EGL2) is a 2GW high voltage electricity ‘superhighway’ cable link between Peterhead in Aberdeenshire and Drax in North Yorkshire. Most of the cable (around 436km) will be under the North Sea with the remaining 70km buried underground onshore. Two converter stations, one at each end of the cable, are planned to help feed the electricity transported by the cable into the grid and from there onto consumers.

Designed to help harness the potential of Britain’s offshore wind power, EGL2 is the second project so far to proceed under Ofgem’s new fast track Accelerated Strategic Transmission Investment (ASTI) framework. Earlier this month the first ASTI project, Eastern Green Link 1 (EGL1) another subsea link between England and Scotland received a provisional £2billion funding package.

OFGEM said ASTI is designed to speed up the delivery of strategic energy projects, enabling more electricity generated by offshore wind to be delivered to British consumers. The new framework accelerates the project funding process by up to two years, said the energy regulator. EGL2 is one of 26 projects identified as critical to meeting the Government’s target of 50GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030 and included in Ofgem’s ASTI cohort.

The project is financed by the developers with costs later recouped through bills. To ensure consumer costs are minimised Ofgem has scrutinised the costs proposed by the developers under the ASTI process. It has identified £67 million that could be cut from indirect costs without impacting project delivery or quality.

Delivery of projects such as EGL2 will not only provide millions of consumers with access to homegrown wind energy, by boosting grid capacity it will further benefit consumers by cutting compensation paid to generators currently asked to turn off production, during times of high wind, due to lack of grid capacity.

A spokesperson for the Energy Networks Association (ENA), said: “This is great news for the grid. As well as using our existing network to its full potential, we also need to build new infrastructure like this to enable decarbonisation. As well as delivering benefits to customers, projects like this support jobs, our supply chain and our economy.”

Rebecca Barnett, Ofgem Director of Major Projects, said: “To ensure we meet future energy demand and achieve Government net zero targets we must speed up the expansion of the high voltage electricity network which connects consumers to homegrown energy.”

“Eastern Link 2 is the second project to reach this stage under our new Accelerated Strategic Transmission (ASTI) process which has been designed to boost Britain’s energy security by unlocking investment and speeding up the delivery of major power projects.”

She added: “However just because we’ve streamlined the approval process doesn’t mean we’re handing developers blank cheques. The ASTI framework helps ensure consumers are protected from unnecessary costs and we make budget adjustments where we don’t see maximum efficiency and benefit for consumers.”

The proposed budget is now subject to a consultation published on 27 March.

Feedback on the proposed budget can be sent to riioelectricitytransmission@ofgem.gov.uk.

Leo Hambro explains why he believes the electrification of small vessel fleets to be key to decarbonising the offshore wind sector.

According to insight from Statista, the UK is the world’s second-largest installer of offshore wind,¹ accounting for more than 20% of global capacity.² Increasing demand and ambitious government targets are expected to see this figure triple by 2030, reaching in excess of 50 gigawatts (GW).

Embracing wind as a driver to accelerate our net zero transition not only addresses environmental concerns connected with greenhouse gas emissions, but also contributes to UK energy security and, as a result, economic growth. Indeed, the latest Global Market Overview from energy intelligence firm TGS-4C Offshore, reveals that the offshore wind industry is likely to experience a record year for investments. This follows a global record set in 2023, with offshore wind investments creating 12.3GW of capacity³ – more than a 1,400% increase when compared to 2022.

However, while clearly a cornerstone in our future energy mix, the offshore wind industry faces a significant challenge: tackling its own operational carbon emissions. Indeed, despite generating clean energy, the construction, maintenance and transport associated with the sector’s infrastructure contributes to a substantial carbon footprint. The use of conventional diesel vessels for crew transfer and repair operations only adds to the challenges holding the industry back from becoming truly net zero.

The traditional approach
Crew transfer is a crucial aspect of offshore wind operations, involving the transportation of personnel to and from turbines. Traditionally, internal combustion engines have been the primary means for crew transfer, providing a reliable and safe mode of transportation. But the environmental impact of fossil-fuelled powered boats provides a real pain point for an industry who’s modus operandi is generating clean energy.

After all, insight suggests that crew transfer vessels (CTVs) across the UK and EU alone burn approximately 1,500 litres of diesel per day, resulting in around 475,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually.⁴ Alternative fuel technology, such as for biofuel and hydrogen, are being developed for larger marine vessels and for aviation. The pressure on the offshore wind sector to adopt cleaner practices for small vessels is therefore becoming even more prescient.

Adopting a cleaner solution
In a major leap forward for the industry, notable progress in electric crew transfer vessels is helping to revolutionise transport to and from offshore wind farms. Harnessing electric motors for propulsion, the vessels (also referred to as E-CTVs) significantly reduce carbon emissions and are proving to be more efficient and cost-effective than their traditional counterparts. Companies like Artemis Technologies are at the forefront of E-CTV innovation, and just last week announced the commencement of a government-funded R&D project alongside Tidal Transit and the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult to support real-world demonstration of electric vessels.

The innovation behind E-CTVs extends beyond transportation, offering a glimpse into the future of offshore operations that prioritise technological advancement and environmental stewardship.

In the transition to electrification, however, careful planning is essential to maximise the positive impact of adopting this pioneering technology. After all, if wind farm operators immediately switch their fleets to E-CTVs, what happens to existing diesel vessels? Some may suggest that exporting them to other nations is a passable solution but, by doing so, we’d risk simply displacing our carbon footprint elsewhere.

The answer to this is retrofitting diesel-powered CTVs into E-CTVs. Not only does adapting vessels to run on 100% electric power alleviate both the demand for fossil fuels and the significant emissions linked to decommissioning vehicles, but it also greatly extends their lifecycle and ensures the drive for sustainability does not inadvertently further contribute to global environmental challenges – true circular economy thinking.

Pivotal to the success of electric vessels – whether new build or retrofit – is the parallel development of charging infrastructure, both onshore and off. While onshore charging solutions provide a convenient and reliable means for electric vessels to replenish their energy reserves, it’s in offshore charging infrastructure where the industry can really pioneer cutting-edge solutions. The integration of offshore charging, which allows E-CTVs to plug directly into wind turbines, allows vessels to simultaneously harness renewable energy and reduce fossil fuel reliance, while greatly extending their time on the water – an essential part of transport efficiency.

Government incentives, such as the £8 million Zero Emission Vessels Innovation (ZEVI) fund, for which Tidal Transit received capital injection to develop the world’s first retrofit E-CTV, and the £3.2 million grant to establish e-boat charging stations across the south coast, provide financial backing and encouragement for companies looking to implement low-emission technologies.

The transition to electric crew transfer vessels marks a major step towards achieving a more sustainable and environmentally responsible offshore wind industry. The multifaceted benefits derived from electrifying small vessels are compelling on both a national and an international scale. Alongside the substantial reduction in carbon footprint, the absence of combustion engines also contributes significantly to lowering noise pollution, eliminates the inherent risk of fuel spillages and translates into lower maintenance requirements, ultimately reducing operational costs for fleet operators.

As the world seeks to decarbonise through the widespread adoption of renewables, it is imperative to take a systemic approach and address emissions across all sectors. The electrification of small vessel fleets serves as a tangible example of how targeted efforts can contribute to the overarching goal of decarbonisation, not only within the offshore wind industry, but also in achieving a more sustainable and harmonious future.

For more information about Tidal Transit, visit www.tidal-transit.com or follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tidal-transit-limited/.

References
[1] https://www.statista.com/statistics/264257/number-of-offshore-wind-farms-worldwide-by-country/
[2] https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/en/knowledge/publications/cd73eaf0/global-offshore-wind-united-kingdom
[3] https://www.tgs.com/press-releases/record-year-in-global-offshore-wind-latest-report
[4] https://www.artemistechnologies.co.uk/news/zero-emissions-plan-for-crew-transfer-vessels-wins-clean-maritime-funding/